This easy Middle Eastern Quinoa Salad is made with fresh saffron quinoa, then tossed with tons of amazing vegetables like carrots, mint, spring onions and dates.
Prep time: PT5M
Cook time: PT10M
Total time: PT45M
Rating
4 stars (1 reviews)
Keywords
quinoa salad, saffron
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups of water
Pinch of saffron threads ((about 16))
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped Medjool dates ((about 5))
1/4 cup sunflower seeds/pine nuts ((or a mixture of the two))
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Zest of 1 large lemon ((about 2 tablespoons))
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup ((optional))
Categories
Salad
Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Steps
Pour the quinoa into a small saucepan. Add water, saffron and a pinch of salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring the water to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer for 10 - 15 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Allow quinoa to cool completely.
Transfer the cooled quinoa to a large mixing bowl. Add the carrots, onions, dates, seeds, mint and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Drizzle on the olive oil and maple syrup and toss again. Season with salt and pepper, taste and adjust with more if needed.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 0.5 g
Calories: 172 kcal
Carbohydrates: 29 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Sodium: 42 mg
Sugar: 12 g
Reviews
LeAnda Pettit on 2025-06-10 (4 stars): Overall, the recipe is really nice. I felt it needed more spice so I added in jalapenos and omitted the maple syrup. But I think that serving size is awfully small or incorrect! For those of us who meal prep for a cause things like that are super important!
