Pesto Quinoa Salad

I love the flavors of fresh tomato, pesto, and fresh mozzarella together, so - why not add a little quinoa to bulk it up a bit? Yes, I have a reputation for adding quinoa to a lot of things, it is a fun one to play around with and adds a little something special to salads and other dishes. This idea came out so good it must be shared! It is the season for fresh tomatoes, whether you have a garden or shop at your local farmers market, try this one while the vegetables are fresh.

My pesto is a little different than the usual recipe as it uses walnuts for a base rather than pine nuts. I tried it once and never went back! It also includes a secret ingredient (Balsamic vinegar, shhh, don’t tell 😂).

INGREDIENTS -

1-2 cups of cooked organic quinoa (varied amount so you can put this together with your preferred ratios)
4 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup fresh mozzarella, diced
1/2 cup pesto, add a little olive oil to your pesto to make it thinner for the salad
1 cup walnuts, chopped

FOR THE PESTO -

1 1/2 cup basil leaves
3/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 cup walnuts
1/2 tsp sea salt

Prepare the quinoa according to the package directions and then set aside to cool.

Place the pesto ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until you reach the desired consistency. Set aside.

Slice the tomatoes, dice the mozzarella, and chop the walnuts, place all of them in a medium sized bowl. When the quinoa is cool, add it to the bowl. Remove 1/2 cup pesto from the amount you made and place in a smaller bowl. Stir in a little olive until you reach the consistency of a salad dressing. Carefully blend the ingredients together with a spatula.

If you love quinoa, here are some other ideas for quinoa salads -

Spinach Quinoa Salad
Greek Quinoa Salad
Quinoa Caprese Salad
Thai Quinoa Salad

When I make quinoa, I keep a extra cup or two of cooked quinoa in the refrigerator for salads, it preserves well. When the quinoa is already cooked, cooled, and ready to go, it makes the salad preparation much easier at mealtime. It is so nice to have that start on dinner when you have had one of those days.

Enjoy!