About this recipe

Bright, hearty, and endlessly satisfying, these quinoa salad jars are the ultimate meal-prep win. Fluffy quinoa is layered with crisp cucumber, roasted red bell pepper, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled feta, then finished with a zesty lemon-olive oil dressing. Pack them Sunday night and enjoy fresh, nourishing lunches all week long — no reheating required.

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse 1 cup of quinoa thoroughly in a sieve under ^[cold running water]. Combine with 2 cups of water and ¼ tsp sea salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil ^[over medium-high heat], then reduce to a ^[low simmer], cover, and cook for 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and spread onto a large plate or baking sheet to cool completely.

2. 2

   In a small mixing bowl or jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed — it should be bright and tangy.

3. 3

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, chickpeas, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat. Taste and add more dressing as desired.

4. 4

   Divide the quinoa salad evenly among 4 wide-mouth quart jar (32 oz each work great). Top each jar with crumbled feta cheese and toasted sliced almonds. Drizzle any remaining dressing over the top. Seal the jars and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Shake or stir before eating.