This Summer Quinoa Salad with Roasted Bell Pepper & Artichoke is simply amazing! I love how the bell pepper slices turn incredibly sweet and tender when you roast them in the oven. Together with the tangy artichokes, the salty olives and the rich tahini sauce, they really bring this simple dish to life. If you like Middle-Eastern inspired dishes, you have to try this quinoa salad. It’s a flavor explosion with each bite!
Summer Quinoa Salad with Roasted Bell Pepper & Artichoke
SERVES: 2-4 people (main or side dish)
EQUIPMENT: glass jar, oven (or stove/grill)
INGREDIENTS:
Roasted bell pepper
2 small red bell peppers, seeded
Drizzle of olive oil
Herbs of your choice: (smoked) paprika, oregano, chili, cumin…
Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt, to taste (optional)
Tahini sauce (+/- ½ cup)
4 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
(Smoked) paprika powder, to taste
Black pepper & Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt, to taste
Salad
4 large handfuls greens, fresh herbs and/or sprouts of your choice
2 cups cooked quinoa
Jarred marinated artichokes, to taste (mine were marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, basil and garlic)
Olives, pitted & to taste (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Roasted bell pepper
- Pre-heat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- In the meantime, cut your bell peppers in slices. Put them on a baking tray (or in an oven dish), drizzle them with a little olive oil and sprinkle with herbs and salt to taste.
- Roast your bell pepper slices for 10 minutes or longer, until they are sweet and tender. Leave them to cool while you prepare the rest of your salad and tahini sauce.
Tahini sauce
- Combine tahini, lemon juice, water, maple syrup, paprika powder, black pepper and salt in a glass jar. Close the lid and shake well.
- If your tahini is really thick and crumbly, you could prepare this sauce in a small food processor or blender too, or you could whisk your ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
Salad
- Combine greens, herbs and/or sprouts of your choice with the cooked quinoa, marinated artichokes and pitted olives.
- Add the roasted bell pepper slices.
- Drizzle with tahini sauce to taste or serve on the side.
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
- This quinoa salad will stay fresh for 2 days or longer in an airtight container in the refrigerator, especially if you store the sauce in a separate container. Chilled, the tahini sauce should stay fresh for at least 1 week.
- Not a big fan of tahini? You could replace it with other nut or seed butters of your choice like almond butter, peanut butter or sunflower butter.
- Do you have a hard time digesting bell pepper? You can remove the skin or replace them with other ‘Middle-Eastern style’ vegetables such as aubergine (eggplant), tomato, courgette (zucchini), carrot…
Now I would love to hear from you! Do you like Middle-Eastern inspired recipes too? What are some of your favorite dishes: falafel, tabouleh, hummus, fattoush salad… Let me know by leaving a comment down below.
