This Roasted Beet and Carrot Quinoa Salad is a great bridge between roasted vegetable season and lemony-herb filled salad season. This wholesome quinoa salad layers in flavors, from sweet roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, buttery nuts, and a vibrant lemon dressing.
*Today I’m partnering with Sharp Home USA ~ Sharp creates quality home appliances that make life easier!
Contents
A Perfect Quinoa Salad Recipe
This quinoa salad is loaded with flavor! It’s perfect for so many occasions, especially when beets and carrots are available in the farmer’s markets.
Many local grocery stores are now carrying beautiful beet varieties in their organic sections.
It’s one of my go-to recipes for feeding a crowd in the summer.
Roasted carrots and beets have such delicious sweet earthy flavors. This salad offsets those with a lemony, spiced dressing and tons of fresh herbs.
The addition of toasted pistachios and pine nuts on top gives this an extra special feel.
You’ll Love this Salad Because:
- It’s a great way to load up on nutrients from veggies, herbs, and fiber rich quinoa.
- Add protein and you have a complete meal! There’s so much going on in this salad, it’s the only side dish you’ll need.
- It’s perfect for meal prep. While it’s delicious served warm, the flavors soak in to the quinoa making it even better the next couple of days!
What You’ll Need
- Quinoa
- Beets (I use red beets, but golden beets are also delicious!)
- Carrots
- Olive Oil
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- Parsley and Cilantro
- Pistachios and Pine Nuts (toasted almonds or pecans would also be amazing!)
Spiced Lemon Salad Dressing
- Lemon Juice
- Olive Oil
- Honey (omit if you prefer less sweet dressings, or sub maple syrup)
- Spices (cumin, paprika, turmeric)
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
How to Make a Roasted Carrot and Beet Quinoa Salad
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425º F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl or jar, and whisk or shake to combine.
Step 3: Add chopped beets and carrots to the baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper, and toss to coat. Roast beets and carrots for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Add quinoa and water into a saucepan on the stove. Heat over medium high heat until boiling, then reduce heat to low and cover. Allow the quinoa to steam for about 20 minutes, until no water remains and the quinoa is softened. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, and then allow to slightly cool.
Step 5: Toss the fluffy quinoa with the lemon dressing.
Step 6: Into a large bowl, layer in the quinoa, roasted beets and carrots, and herbs. Toss to combine.
Step 7: Top the salad with toasted pistachios and pine nuts to serve.
How to Store Leftover Beet Quinoa Salad (for Meal Prep!)
After the salad has cooled to room temperature, store the leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The salad is delicious served cold, but can also be gently reheated in a skillet over medium heat.
If preparing this salad as meal prep, store the chopped herbs and the nuts separately, and add them when ready to serve. This will keep the salad tasting the freshest!
Should I serve this warm or cold?
In the warmer months, prep this salad ahead of time and serve it cold alongside grilled meats.
In colder months, serve it warm! It can even be served hot if you keep greens and herbs separate, toss the quinoa and veggies hot, and garnish with fresh herbs and nuts.
Variations for this Roasted Vegetable and Quinoa Salad
Experiment with different additions to this beautiful salad! Here are some easy ways to recreate this salad and change it up for different occasions!
Beets: Red beets, golden beets, or heirloom varieties like Chioggia beets (the candy cane striped ones) are all great in this salad!
Carrots: Use rainbow carrots to add different colors to this salad!
Other Vegetables: Roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes, or winter squashes like butternut squash would all be delicious substitutions in this salad.
Herbs and Greens: Use your favorite fresh herbs! Fresh basil is a great addition. Other leafy greens to throw in to the mix are peppery arugula, baby kale, and baby spinach. Allow the roasted vegetables and quinoa to cool until just warm prior to mixing in more delicate greens, or simply serve the salad on top of a bed of greens. You can even incorporate the beet greens in this salad!
Nuts & Seeds: The toasted nuts add a great flavor and texture to this quinoa beet salad recipe. Substitute your favorites in this salad! Try toasted almond, pecans, or sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.
Add Cheese!: Beets go great with cheese, so top this salad with a little goat cheese or salty feta cheese if desired.
Other Beet Salad Recipes
- Cold Beet Salad with Quinoa and Pesto
- Kale Salad with Blueberries and Quinoa
- Moroccan Salad with Quinoa and Chickpeas
I’d love to connect with you on social media! Find me on Facebook or Instagram where I post daily healthy eating and lifestyle inspiration!
Roasted Beet and Carrot Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2 carrots large, peeled and cut diagonally
- 3-4 beets about 3 cups of peeled beets, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup pistachios toasted
- 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
Dressing
- 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 large lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt or more, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425º degrees F
- Add all dressing ingredients to a small covered container and shake to mix well. Set aside.
- On a lined cookie sheet, add the carrots and beets, keeping separate. Drizzle both with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables to evenly coat (keeping the carrots on a separate side prevents them from being dyed red by the beets).
- Roast the vegetables for 30 minutes, until the beet is very soft and the carrots have begun to brown and caramelize.
- Cook the quinoa per package directions, and set aside. I take the lid off the quinoa and fluff with a fork after it's finished cooking to keep it from becoming overcooked.
- Cool the quinoa for about 10-15 minutes, until warm but no longer hot. Toss the quinoa with the dressing.
- Add the quinoa, roasted vegetables, and chopped cilantro and parsley to a large salad bowl, and gently toss. (Over mixing the salad will cause the beets to dye everything red. The salad will still be delicious but won't look as beautiful when served.)
- Garnish the salad with toasted pine nuts and pistachios.
You always make the most delicious salads! Seriously I started a salad board just so I could pin your salad recipes. Loving the spices, the nuts the grains and I know I am the odd one here but the beets. Yum! How is the little man doing? Wishing you a super weekend! Pinning, sharing and smoke signals sent.
So nutty and delicious! YUM!!! This is such a perfect meal!
Roasted beets are like magic- I swear very few vegetables taste that amazing roasted! chucked into a salad like this, I could faceplant it!
They are magic 🙂 Both carrots and beets are just that much better roasted!
First off, wow this salad looks wonderful! The colors and flavor combinations are amazing! Pinning for sure! Also, I think that is so cool/ that you are currently living in Kuala Lumpur! I was very intrigued while reading this post! I hope you are enjoying it there. Not many people can say they have experienced living in another country!
Hi Erin, It looks like you’re in the UK? My husband is English, but his family now lives in Australia, so I have yet to go to the UK. We are looking at moving to Spain or Portugal in a few years, so maybe not too long off. Right now I spend all my vacation time going to the States! I am looking forward to checking out your blog.
You definitely are the Salad Queen, Michelle! This is a work of art with all it’s complementary flavours, colours and textures – love it!
I’ll be in BC some of the time this summer, it would be great if we could connect! My home there is near Victoria on Vancouver Island. Nothing like gorgeous summers in the PNW! Can’t wait to hear about your adventures.
Sharing all over 🙂
PS…thanks for the kind words about my photography. Still on a rollercoaster ride with it but enjoying it more now rather than cursing at my tripod! lol
Food photography is not as “easy” as it looks! It’s definitely an art, and takes study and practice. I feel mine has been stagnant– I don’t have a great space for it, and finding props is very difficult in Malaysia. And with a baby, I have less space than before, and less time to learn and grow! Glad to hear you are enjoying it now– it is a lot of fun if you have time to play with it and be patient. I love Victoria 🙂 I haven’t been in years. I won’t be traveling far this summer though! It’s going to be hard enough just make it to America with a 9 month old… who is already trying to get up and walk. Boy, will that be fun on a 30 hour plane trip!
YES! This salad looks and sounds amazing. The combination of textures and colors are making my tummy rumble.
Thanks Megan! It’s a great one. My sister in law made a similar one while I was visiting at Christmas and I couldn’t wait to recreate it when I got home! Addicting flavors and crunch!
The dressing with all the spices really ties all the flavors of this salad together! Amazing!
very nice food photography and healthy salad..