This Roasted Broccoli & Quinoa Salad is chock full of vegetables and other nourishing ingredients like seasoned chickpeas and quinoa. Plus, it has a super flavorful and irresistible creamy vinaigrette. This just may be your new favorite salad, and it’s been a hit over on my Instagram page!
Why You Should Make This Roasted Broccoli & Quinoa Salad
If you’re looking for a really flavorful salad that will leave you satisfied and a super happy camper, this one is for you! From seasoned chickpeas, to perfectly roasted broccoli, creamy avocado, and pops of freshness from the cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs, this one has it all. There’s a bit of red onion for a bite, which balances out the flavors and goes so well with the creamy vinaigrette.
This Roasted Broccoli & Quinoa Salad has been loved by those of you who have tried it, so I am really happy to finally get this recipe onto the blog! I think it’s due to the variety of textures and flavors, and it takes “salad” to a whole new level. The dressing is a favorite too! It’s so simple to whisk up, and it would be perfect on other salads as well.
Tips & Substitutions
This salad makes a fantastic meal prep, as the ingredients hold up very well for a few days in the fridge, just add the avocado fresh on the day you’ll eat it. I also suggest keeping the dressing separate in the fridge, only because it will get absorbed into the quinoa otherwise.
Feel free to get creative with the seasonings for the chickpeas as well. They would be great with cumin, za’atar seasoning, chili powder, or smoked paprika.
You can use your favorite type of tomatoes in this salad. I had colorful cherry tomatoes on hand when shooting the photos for this recipe, but any kind would work well.
While broccoli is so delicious in this recipe, a great substitute would be cauliflower. You can roast the cauliflower florets in the same manner. They may just take an extra 5 to 10 minutes roasting in the oven. You want a bit of browning on the cauliflower, which adds flavor.
Other Delicious Salad Recipes
Roasted Potato & Chickpea Quinoa Bowl
Cucumber, Vidalia & Avocado Salad
Peach & Avocado Salad with Lentils & Quinoa
Quinoa Salad with Avocado Dill Dressing
If you make this Roasted Broccoli & Quinoa Salad, I would love to see it! You can tag me on Instagram @janetsmunchmeals and leave a comment here!
Roasted Broccoli & Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 4 cups small broccoli florets
- 1.5 tbsp avocado oil for roasting broccoli
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt for roasting broccoli
- 1 15 oz. can chickpeas rinsed
- 1 tsp avocado oil for cooking chickpeas
- 1/4 tsp each kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika for cooking chickpeas
- 1/8 to 1/4 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
Creamy Herb Vinaigrette (whisk together thoroughly; makes extra than needed for this recipe):
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp vegan mayo
- 2 tbsp stone ground mustard
- 2 tbsp agave nectar
- 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp each kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder
- 2 tbsp each finely chopped fresh dill and parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (convect/fan). Cook quinoa according to package directions, and when it’s done, let it cool in a mixing bowl or on serving platter, then mix juice of 1/2 lemon into it.
- Meanwhile, cut brocc florets into similar small size and arrange on baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle its oil and salt, and toss. Bake 12 to 18 min, stirring halfway until bright green and lightly browning in spots. Remove tray from oven and let cool somewhat.
- Add chickpeas, their oil and seasonings to a pan and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 min until heated.
- Combine half of the dressing, cooked quinoa, roasted brocc, sliced onion, chickpeas, halved tomatoes, reserving some to add on top at the end. Top with diced avocado. Serve with extra dressing as desired.