Rainbow Salad Bowl (Printable)

A colorful nutrient-packed bowl with quinoa, fresh vegetables, beans, nuts, and zesty dressing.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
04 - 1 cup grated carrots
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
07 - 1 small cucumber, sliced

→ Legumes

08 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Nuts and Seeds

10 - 1/3 cup roasted cashews or almonds, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
12 - 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

→ Dressing

13 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

# Directions:

01 - Prepare quinoa according to package instructions and allow to cool completely before assembly.
02 - Wash and prepare all vegetables: halve cherry tomatoes, shred purple cabbage, grate carrots, dice bell pepper, measure spinach, and slice cucumber.
03 - Arrange all prepared vegetables, cooled grains, drained beans, nuts, and seeds in a large salad bowl or on a serving platter in colorful sections for visual appeal.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
05 - Drizzle prepared dressing over the salad just before serving or offer dressing on the side for individual portions.
06 - Gently toss salad to combine or allow guests to add dressing as preferred. Top with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes as good as it looks, which honestly surprises people every single time.
  • You can prep everything the night before and just toss it together when hunger strikes.
  • One bowl covers your entire plate with protein, fiber, healthy fats, and enough color to make you smile before you even take a bite.
02 -
  • Never dress the salad more than a few minutes before serving unless you like soggy cabbage, which I've learned the expensive way by making entire bowls in advance.
  • The magic happens when you keep your dressing ratio balanced, so test it on one leaf of spinach before committing your whole batch.
03 -
  • Buy pre-shredded cabbage and carrots if you're short on time, and nobody will judge you for it because lunch actually happened instead of didn't.
  • Toast your nuts and seeds lightly in a dry pan for thirty seconds before adding them if you want them to taste like they came from somewhere fancy instead of somewhere convenient.
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