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Warm Quinoa Salad with Sofrito

Name: Warm Quinoa Salad with Sofrito
Prep time: 30

(9 votes, average: 3.78 out of 5)

30 min prep

6 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

13 ingredients

This Warm Quinoa Salad with Sofrito combines quinoa with sofrito. Quinoa is one of the few grains that can boast being a complete protein. It’s a great addition to any vegetarian menu. Sofrito...

2 cups quinoa, rinsed well in a fine sieve
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, plus 1 sprig
1½ tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, plus 1 sprig
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups water or stock
3 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons torn basil or mint leaves (optional)
2 small orange peppers, deseeded and cut into a small dice
4 small zucchini, cut into a small dice
Sea salt, to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Grated zest of 1 small lemon
4 scallions white parts finely chopped, green tops reserved

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

306 cals

Fat

9 g

Saturated Fat

1 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

3 g

Monounsaturated Fat

5 g

Carbohydrates

47 g

Sugar

6 g

Fiber

7 g

Protein

10 g

Sodium

873 mg

Directions

Put the quinoa, parsley sprig, cilantro sprig, and scallion greens into a saucepan with a lid. Add the 4 cups of water and t teaspoon of olive oil. Bring to a boil, then cover, turn heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside, covered until you are ready to use it.
Meanwhile, make the sofrito. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and gently sauté for 2-3 minutes or until they start to soften. Add the peppers and zucchini, cook for another 2-3 minutes until they start to soften. Add salt to taste, turn the heat down and partially cover. Continue to cook until the shallots have started to caramelize and the other vegetables are very soft, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove the herbs and scallion greens from the quinoa. Fluff with a fork.
Remove the cover from the vegetables. Turn up to medium-high and add the ground cumin. Cook, stirring for 1 minute, then add the chopped parsley, cilantro, scallions, and lemon zest. Stir to mix well and cook for a minute to blend the flavors. Add the quinoa, a little at a time until the dish is about ½ quinoa ½ vegetables. Stir to mix. Just before serving, add the torn basil or mint leaves. Serve immediately.

Chef Tips

Be sure to wash the quinoa well before cooking as the grain has a bitter outer coating, saponin that needs to be washed off before cooking. You can make the quinoa and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days to have on hand as a side.

Registered Dietitian Approved

All our recipes are created by chefs and reviewed by our oncology-trained staff Registered Dietitian, Kate Ueland, MS, RD, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and meets the standards set by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.