This roasted beet, orange, kumquat and quinoa salad is packed with healthy ingredients and is the perfect salad to help you reboot! It’s super flavorful and has the best citrus dressing! Makes the perfect vegan and gluten-free lunch or side dish.
Yes! It’s a salad recipe. I know you were maybe expecting another yummy cake. Are you in the mood for something amazing and healthy? I am!
Beet, Orange, Kumquat and Quinoa Salad
How can it be that I’ve just recently fallen in love with quinoa? What took me so long to realize it’s nutty, delicious flavor. I just love healthy salads like this Israeli Couscous Salad with Butternut Squash and this Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad…soooo good!!
How could I have had a bag in my cupboards for months go untouched. And when I did finally open the bag, it seemed the quinoa possibilities were endless. I’ve been cheating on my beloved pasta and risotto dishes with this wonderful and healthy grain. I just can’t get enough of quinoa.
How to Make this Roasted Beet, Orange, Kumquat and Quinoa Salad:
- First step is prep the dressing. Shake it all together for an incredible citrus dressing; set aside.
- Next step is to cook the quinoa. It needs time to cool before it gets added to the salad.
- While quinoa cooks, roast the beets. I recommend placing them on a foil lined baking sheet and fold the foil all around them (they will be in a foil paper pocket) and roast at 425 degree Fahrenheit. It should take about 30-45 minutes (depending on how small you cut your beets).
- While beets roast, prep the other ingredients.
- Toss: When beets are ready and cooled down a little, toss together with the quinoa, other ingredients, and dressing and ENJOY!
How to change up this beet and citrus salad?
Adding citrus to a dish in the middle of winter adds a pop of sweet flavor and a little bit of sunshine.
- It’s too bad I was out of avocados because that would have been an amazing addition to the salad.
- The last batch of kumquats I found at Whole Foods were very bitter. The kumquats I found this time were as sweet as honey.
- Feel free to use blood oranges if you can find them and it’s totally fine to leave out the kumquats if you can’t find any (I just tried to make this again yesterday to take new photos and couldn’t find any kumquats at my local market!).
If you add the beets to the quinoa with the other fruits, the quinoa will turn a lovely shade of fuchsia. If you can find some lemongrass, I definitely recommend adding it to the recipe.
A light and healthy lunch to enjoy now while sweet citrus fruits are in season. I roasted my own red beets, but I think this salad would be fantastic even with golden beets.
Tips for this quinoa salad recipe:
- Roast the beets on a large sheet pan. Make sure it’s not crowded in the foil pocket so it will cook up evenly. You want them to be able to roast and not steam from the heat.
- Quinoa has a bitter saponin coating so it’s important to rinse it. The easiest way to rinse and drain it is to use a mesh sieve. Cook it in vegetable broth to infuse it with even more flavor.
- Dressing should be added only to the portion you will eat that day. It will get too mushy sitting there in the dressing until the next day. Only add dressing to what you plan on eating in the same day.
How long will this quinoa salad stay fresh?
As long as you do not put the dressing on the quinoa salad, it will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Just toss with the dressing when you’re ready to eat it!
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Vintage Savoring Recipes-This delicious Beet, Orange, Kumquat and Quinoa Salad is from the SI archives, first published in 2012 and all part of a series called Vintage Savoring Recipes. I will be showing some TLC to some amazing recipes you may have missed on the blog. Most of these recipes will have fresh photos and fresher notes.
Updated from January 22, 2012
Beet, Orange, Kumquat, and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- DRESSING
- zest and juice of one grated orange
- 2 tablespoons blood orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh chive thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- SALAD
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 cup orange sections cut in half
- 6 whole kumquats seeded and sliced
- 2 medium beets cooked and cut into wedges
- 4-6 basil leaves chiffonnade
Instructions
- To prepare dressing, combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Scrub, peel, and cut the beets into 1-inch pieces.
- Place cubed beets on large piece of foil on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil. Mix it all up with your hands (clean hands) and season with sea salt and ground pepper.
- Fold foil around the beets and crimp the ends to form a packet. Roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 30-45 minutes.
- Rinse of quinoa and drain in a mesh sieve. Combine 1 3/4 cups water, quinoa, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover,reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; fluff with a fork.
- Combine quinoa, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, orange sections, and kumquats in a large bowl, tossing gently to combine. Add dressing; toss gently to coat salad. Spoon 1 cup salad onto each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 1/2 cup beets.
Notes
Sub out whatever citrus you enjoy.
Feel free to use golden beets instead of red or a combo of them both.
Amy says
I love this! Beets are on my menu every day, but combine them with quinoa and citrus and you have a winner! I love the quinoa in this as well, may just become my lunch this week :)!
Anonymous says
It looks fantastic! I'm new to loving quinoa, too and I'm surprised at how versatile it is! LOVE beets as well! GREAT recipe and beautiful photos!
Angie's Recipes says
The salad looks absolutely delicious with all the fresh and healthy ingredients.
Lisa says
What a gorgeous, colorful salad, Lora..The kumquat and beets with the oranges, basil and quinoa is such a great and healty combination! This is how I need to eat, and I bet you don't feel one bit deprived!
Priscilla - She's Cookin' says
Yes, I'm in the mood for something healthy! Gorgeous salad and glad you found some sweet kumquats and have come to the quinoa side 😉
Maureen says
I'm so looking forward to making this salad. It looks amazingly good.
Maris (In Good Taste) says
This is so bright and colorful with the added benefit of being so healthy
Lizzy says
Oh, how I adore beets!! What a fabulous recipe to showcase them…mmmmmmmm. Hope you're enjoying your weekend, Lora~
Jamie says
Wow that dressing sounds fabulous!!! And isn't it funny how beets and oranges go so well together? And quinoa – gee whiz everybody is using quinoa these days and it always looks so good! I need to get on the ball. But kumquats. Wow! Haven't eaten a kumquat since I was a kid and my dad forced us to taste one… But this is a wonderful winter salad!
Claudia says
I love variations with quinoa – and how fun to find unexpected ingredients like kumquats. However, exceedingly jealous of the sunshine on your deck.
Reeni says
I am a recent convert to quinoa too! I can't get enough of it. Your salad is like a breath of delicious fresh air on this snowy NY day! xoxo
Roxana GreenGirl {A little bit of everything} says
I love this salad!!
quinoa is one of the seeds I try to make my family eat more than just 1 time/week and beets are sneaked into the morning juice almost daily along with some oranges.
Eliotseats says
Just started enjoying quinoa!
Sandra says
I love your salad..what an amazing combination Lora! I will have to try it soon because I love beets!
Nicely done on the photos too!
Wishing you great week ahead!
SweetSugarBelle says
Ahhhhhh! I have all the ingredients! You got me.on a beet roasting kick so tell mom you did okay 😉 looks lovely!
Savoring Italy says
I will!;)I hope you do make it and let me know if you like:)
Sarah-Jane - SiliconeMoulds.com says
quinoa is something I've yet to try and yet to cook.
Your salad looks lovely though – I adore orange and beetroot. Currently addicted to giant couscous so may try a similar version with that
A Thought For Food says
Love the vibrant colors and flavors of this dish! Something that makes these dreary winter days so much brighter
Kiri W. says
These colors are so stunning! I love beets and kumquats, but I still haven't gotten around to trying quinoa. Sounds like I am definitely missing out!
Junia says
i LOVE quinoa. avocado and kumquat sound delicious together. and i love how beautiful the beets turn the quinoa. 🙂 have a wonderful week!
Nancy says
I've been on a total tear lately with grain salads so this is right up my alley! Wishing I had a bowl of this for lunch!
Jeanette says
Gorgeous healthy salad! Love it!!
Farmgirl Gourmet says
Looks so good Lora! I am bookmarking for summer when I have beets coming out of my ears. (not really). 🙂
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
Just gorgeous; makes me want to 'give beets a chance.'
CulinaryCache says
Beautiful recipe, this looks like a very tasty salad!
Sara @ Saucy Dipper says
Cooking Light is the best. I have so many recipes from that mag in my arsenal. Those beets look tasty. Makes me want to run to the store to make some for lunch.
Yuri - Chef Pandita says
Great salad. All my favorite ingredients are in that bowl!
Ms Bibi says
That looks absolutely yummy….I just bought some beets last week and wasn't sure what to make. This is perfect lunch.
Bibi @ Frugal Wannabe Cooks
Marnely Rodriguez-Murray says
Love the addition of kumquats in this gorgeous, bright salad!
claire @ the realistic nutritionist says
I ate a jar of beets for dinner last night. Nothing else. I'm so obsessed with them now!!
Anonymous says
What a beautiful salad – – I love all the flavours and the colours against the quinoa is just gorgeous 🙂
Grubarazzi says
Beets are so amazing fresh. and I love quinoa as well, especially if it is cooked correctly. Really lovely recipe.
Lisa says
Usually I’ve only had beets in borscht. This was so gorgeous to look at and even better to eat! A new regular recipe in my rotation.
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
This salad is such an amazing flavor combo!! Would love to try it!
Tiffany La Forge-Grau says
You don’t get to see kumquats in a recipe very often. This is a really great salad for the new year.
Lora says
Thanks, Tiffany! So hard to find but they’re so interesting in a recipe like this! Happy Friday to you!
Sara Welch says
What a great recipe to get the new year kicked off on the right foot! Looking forward to enjoying this for lunch tomorrow, indeed!
Beth says
I love how versatile quinoa is! Adding it with the other different flavors sounds amazing! Trying this asap!
Jacque Hastert says
A great salad to help me stay on track this new year. I love the combination of fresh flavors and the health benefits that come with it.
Brittany says
Wow, this salad looks incredible! I love the medley of flavors you’ve added to this recipe. I never thought of adding orange zest into a salad, but now I can’t wait to head to the store to try out making this recipe. Thank you for sharing!