Rainbow Salad Bowl (Printable)

A vibrant medley of fresh vegetables, grains, beans, and seeds with zesty dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
04 - 1 cup grated carrots
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
07 - 1 small cucumber, sliced

→ Legumes

08 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Nuts and Seeds

10 - 1/3 cup roasted cashews or almonds, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
12 - 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

→ Dressing

13 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# How To Make It:

01 - Prepare quinoa according to package instructions. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely before assembly.
02 - Halve cherry tomatoes, shred purple cabbage, grate carrots, dice yellow bell pepper, measure spinach leaves, and slice cucumber. Set aside in separate bowls.
03 - In a large salad bowl or on a platter, arrange cooled quinoa, vegetables, drained chickpeas and black beans, nuts, and seeds in colorful sections for visual appeal.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad immediately before serving. Toss gently to combine all components or serve dressing on the side for individual preference.
06 - Top with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like a farmers market exploded in the best way, and you actually feel good eating it.
  • Prep is straightforward enough that you can make it on a Tuesday night without losing your mind.
  • The leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when all the flavors get cozy together.
02 -
  • Rinsing canned beans is non-negotiable because the sodium and that weird canned flavor will absolutely show up in your salad.
  • If you dress the whole thing more than thirty minutes early, the vegetables start releasing water and everything gets soft and sad, so timing matters more than you think.
03 -
  • Prep all your vegetables the night before and store them in airtight containers so dinner actually comes together in five minutes instead of thirty.
  • Make double the dressing because you will want it on everything, and it keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for a week.
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