This simple quinoa salad uses both roasted and raw veggies plus lots of herbs for a hearty meal salad. Fennel gets roasted, bringing out the natural sweetness and pairs with raw, crunchy celery for a delicious combination. It all gets tossed in a simple dressing and topped with plenty of toasted hazelnuts and goats cheese.
Ingredient Highlight
Quinoa! Though we think of this as a grain, it’s actually a seed to a plant! That’s why it’s such a great source of plant-based protein since it contains all 9 essential amino acids. It’s also rich in magnesium, calcium, vitamin E, and fiber.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- 2 fennel bulbs, halved lengthwise, cored, thinly sliced (about 4 cups worth)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 cup quinoa about 3 ½ cups cooked
- 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (or sub almonds)
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add fennel, olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt to the baking sheet and toss to coat. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tender and charred in spots.
- In a medium pot, add the quinoa and 1 ½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 12 minutes or until cooked through and water has evaporated. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool off.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Add the quinoa, fennel, celery, and herbs to the bowl and toss to coat. Taste and add more vinegar or salt, if needed.
- Serve topped with hazelnuts, goat cheese, and more black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 1 cup quinoa
- Prep 2 fennel bulbs (4 cups)
- Prep 4 celery stalks (2 cups)
- Toast ½ cup hazelnuts or almonds
- Make the salad dressing + toss the salad together
Substitutions:
- I love roasted fennel in this recipe, but you could easily substitute it with any roasted veggie (broccoli, cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, etc…)
- To make vegan, skip the goat cheese and top with avocado slices instead.
- Substitute raw thinly sliced fennel or cucumber for the celery (the celery adds a nice cooling crunch to the salad).
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Enjoy straight out of the fridge topped with goat cheese, toasted nuts, a squeeze of lemon, and black pepper.
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