Beet, Orange, Kumquat, and Quinoa Salad | A Healthy Vegan Recipe

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

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5 from 9 votes

Beet, Orange, Kumquat, and Quinoa Salad

This healthy beet salad is the perfect recipe to reset with after the indulgent holidays or any time you’re needing a fresh boost! Colorful and nutritious, this is a lovely vegan lunch or side. Recipe yields two meal-sized salads or four side salads. Toss on the dressing just before serving.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beets, healthy recipe, quinoa, vegan

Servings: 4

Author: Lora

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

Salad stores for the 3 days in the fridge (without the dressing). Toss on the dressing when ready to serve.
Sub out whatever citrus you enjoy.
Feel free to use golden beets instead of red or a combo of them both.

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