This easy simple formula will allow you to make any kind of Grain Salad! Like this Broccoli Quinoa Salad with Grapes and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.
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Add Grains to Bump Up a Main Dish Salad
I love salads. Especially main dish salads. Dinner in a bowl. Easy peasy. When I have a main dish salad, it has to have something in it to make it a little more substantial. Sometimes it’s meat or chicken or fish, but lately my favorite way to bump up my salads is with grains. I absolutely love grain salads. Love, love, love them. I spent time googling and reviewing my cookbooks and came up with a formula. A formula for a grain salad that you can tweak into and endless number of combinations.
How to Make a Grain Salad
It is composed of a grain, a veggie, greens, fruit, and nuts. So you could have a quinoa, broccoli salad with spinach, grapes and pumpkin seeds – like I have here. Or you could have a barley, carrot salad with kale, apples and sunflower seeds. See, how easy it is! For my dressing I use my standard juice of one lemon mixed with equal parts olive oil. But you could even vary that, substituting orange juice, or any type of vinegar for the acid. You could even change up the oil and use a nut oil, or sesame oil. The possibilities are endless!
I might have used too many explanation marks in that last paragraph, but honestly this is game changing. So many grain salad possibilities
Looking for more broccoli recipes:
Here’s another broccoli salad that is extra yummy – Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cranberries!
How about an easy one pan meal – Baked Rice with Sausage and Broccoli.
One of my favorite side salads this Honey Mustard Broccoli Salad will become your favorite too!
How to Make a Grain Salad | Broccoli Quinoa Salad
A basic formula for making a grain salad like this Broccoli Quinoa Salad.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked grains I used quinoa
- 2 cups steamed or blanched vegetables cut bite size (I used broccoli)
- 3 cups chopped greens I used baby spinach
- 1 cup fruit cut bite-sized (I used seedless red grapes)
- 1/2 cup toasted nuts or seeds I used pumpkin seeds
- juice of one lemon
- equal parts olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
-
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl up to the lemon juice. In a small jar with a lid, combine the lemon juice with equal parts olive oil and shake to combine. Pour over the salad and toss, season with salt and pepper as desired.
Miz Helen says
I just pinned your awesome salad! Hope you have a great weekend and thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Pam Greer says
Thanks for pinning!
Ann says
This recipe and variations will make it’s way on to our meal rotation
Ann says
This recipe will be added to our menu plan. You do photograph food so well Pam.
Caren Gittleman says
Fabulous suggestions/recipe! Just pinned this, thanks!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
Grains are so great to use in salads. I love the texture they add, not to mention how it takes the nutrition level up a notch or two.
khadija says
me too! I love grains in my salad. Mostly lentil, chickpeas but I will add quinoa to the list now. Than you!
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
Oooh this looks delicious! So filling, but healthy! Love all the different textures and colours you have in it too!
Platter Talk says
Healthy, clean and satisfying. Looks great and good for us, too! Thanks.
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
I absolutely LOVE salads and enjoy them year round, but one thing I don’t do often enough is, add grains to them so I am so digging your greens and quinoa filled one! Thanks so much for posting this!
Ann says
This looks so delicious and fresh!
Rachel @ Simple Seasonal says
I love grains mixed in with my salad. The addition of the grapes and pumpkin seeds are a nice touch. This would make such a great meal as is!
Deb in Hawaii says
I love good grain salads–especially with some sort of nutty topping–so satisfying. I love how pretty this one looks in the bowl too. 😉 Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays.
Miz Helen says
Great Salad! Hope you are having a great weekend and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Robyn @ simply fresh dinners says
Good morning, Pam,
What a creative idea to add grapes – absolutely love it! And the pumpkin seeds too – genius. This is a dish I could make on a regular basis and always look forward to. Thanks for a great recipe!
Marjie says
It’s a good formula!
Patricia Scarpin says
It looks so fresh, Pam! It would be perfect to bring to work for lunch.
Joanne says
I also tend to add cheese into the mix…but that’s just me. 😛 Otherwise, LOVE IT!