Quinoa salad for a hot summer’s day

Is there anything better than quinoa salad for a hot summers day? Quinoa is a fabulous gluten-free substitute,  packed with protein and essential amino acids. Though it looks like a grain, it is actually a seed. It is tasty, wholesome and not at all heavy, so perfect for a light lunch or supper.

The Greek garden is blossoming (literally!) in the summer sunshine, and there is such an abundance of fruit and vegetables. The cucumbers and courgettes grow almost overnight and it’s sometimes difficult to keep up with them. In Greece the courgettes have such a lovely delicate, almost sweet flavour. Freshly picked they are crisp and refreshing. I can hardly resist tucking into them like raw chips when I’m cooking! The best thing about courgettes though, is that they are very versatile, and there are just so many delicious ways to cook them.  Grilled, roasted, pan-fried, stuffed,  baked in a cake or even just raw with a simple dressing – they are absolutely scrumptious. Probably my favourite way to eat them though, is lightly dressed and just popped under the grill or on the barbecue – the perfect ingredient for a summer quinoa salad!

Cool things down with a yoghurt dressing

I love the the combination of  smoky grilled courgettes with zesty herby quinoa salad, and this is all brought together with a cooling yoghurt dressing. I always have to limit the quantity I make though – as it is just so irresistible it’s difficult to stop eating! Depending on your kitchen equipment or the occasion, you can either grill the courgette ribbons on a griddle pan, under the grill in the oven, or on the barbecue. Here I have used an oven grill for the home cook.

I am also so excited to use our homegrown coriander in this recipe.  It’s very difficult, in fact, near impossible to find fresh coriander anywhere in Kefalonia. We vowed to grow our own, and now here it is, ready to use!

Know your ingredients

Besides the ingredients from the garden, I try to use as many local products as possible. Apart from being a great way of supporting your local economy,  ingredients are fresher and taste much better. As I am in Greece, in this recipe I used local Kefalonian Greek yoghurt, which is already strained and very thick and creamy. So delicious! In order to make my dressing a pourable consistency though, I added a little water. If your yoghurt is already quite runny, you should leave this out. The other important note, is that Greek vinegar is mild and slightly sweet. Therefore, if you are using a very sharp vinegar, you may want to halve the quantity. Lastly, you should try to make the dressing a few hours ahead, or even overnight, as it really allows the flavours to develop.

Quinoa Salad with Grilled Courgettes & Yoghurt Coriander Dressing

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

• QUINOA SALAD:
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 small spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 3 tsp. fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp. flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• GRILLED COURGETTES :
• 1kg courgettes
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• Pinch of dried oregano
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• YOGHURT CORIANDER DRESSING:
• 1 cup Greek yoghurt
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2-3 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. Greek red wine vinegar
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp. coriander, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 3/4 tsp. brown castor sugar (or honey if you prefer)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• TO SERVE:
• 2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds
• A few sprigs of coriander, roughly shredded

Instructions

QUINOA SALAD:

1. Rinse the quinoa well in a fine sieve under cold running water.
2. Place the quinoa with 2 cups of water and the salt in a pot and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and let steam with the lid on for a further 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the quinoa to a large mixing bowl and fluff up with a fork. Allow to cool slightly.
6. Stir through the spring onions, olive oil, lemon zest and chopped herbs. Squeeze in some lemon juice to taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

GRILLED COURGETTES:

1. Preheat the oven on the highest grill setting*.
2. Slice the courgettes thinly lengthwise and place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the olive oil, a pinch of oregano and a squeeze of lemon juice, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss through the courgettes with your hands and make sure they are coated thoroughly.
4. Lay the courgettes slices in a large baking tray and place the tray at the top of the oven under the grill. Grill for 5-10 minutes. Once the slices are turning brown and slightly charred around the edges, turn the slices over with a fork. Grill for a further 5-10 minutes until the slices are all grilled, and then remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Be careful as some of the slices may cook quicker than others, and they may burn quickly if you don’t pay attention.

YOGHURT CORIANDER DRESSING:

1. Make the dressing at least a few hours before eating, and even overnight if you like.
2. Place the yoghurt, olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar* in a mixing bowl and whisk well to thoroughly combine.
3. Add the spring onions, coriander, lemon zest, garlic and sugar. Whisk to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If the dressing is still thick then add 2-3  tbsp. of water and whisk through*.

TO SERVE:

1. Heat a frying pan on a medium heat, and toast the pumpkin seeds.
2. Place the quinoa in a medium sized serving bowl. Arrange the courgette ribbons on top. Generously pour dressing over the courgette ribbons and quinoa.
3. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and shredded coriander.
4. Enjoy!

Quinoa Salad with Grilled Courgettes & Yoghurt Coriander Dressing was last modified: November 24th, 2020 by Mira

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Notes

* Alternatively you can cook the courgettes on a griddle pan or on the barbecue. This will give an extra smoky flavour. * Greek vinegar is very mild, with a slightly sweet taste. If your vinegar is very sharp you can reduce the quantity to 1 tsp. * I used local Greek yoghurt which is strained and very thick. In order to make my dressing a pourable consistency I added a little water. If you find your yoghurt is already quite runny, don't add any water.