This quinoa salad is by far one of the most exciting salads that I’ve tasted. It’s bright and zesty. It’s exciting and lively. It makes it a great accompaniment for grilled or roasted meat, poultry and seafood. Though, it doesn’t mean that this salad can’t be enjoyed on its own. It’s just as delicious as the slightly less zesty Mediterranean quinoa salad.
To get that wonderful zesty and cheerful taste I combined lime juice with lime zest, fresh mint and red hot pepper flakes. Add a little bit of fresh garlic and it’s a winning combination, if just a little too bright for my taste. To subdue the brightness just a touch I added a tiny amount of sugar which gave me just what I was looking for. In this recipe I chose to use tri-color quinoa – white, red and black. Red and black variety of quinoa have a richer flavor that matches the zesty dressing. I also like the denser texture and more crunch of black and red quinoa which complements the crunch of the radishes, cucumbers and green bell peppers and makes this salad even more enjoyable. While this quinoa salad can be enjoyed as soon as you make it, it only gets better with time. Make it a few hours in advance and let stand at room temperature. This will allow the flavors to blend and the quinoa will have the time to soak in the tasty juices. After that, it’s best to refrigerate this salad to keep it fresh. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
