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Watermelon Quinoa Salad

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Watermelon Quinoa Salad

Ok….starting off by asking the question….do you like quinoa? I’ve found that people are either in the YES or NO column. There are very definite opinions about quinoa. After making it for my brother, he told me quinoa does not “bowl him over” (thought that was a pretty clever play on words) and that’s ok, it’s not for everyone!

Watermelon Quinoa Salad 3

Watermelon Quinoa Salad

When I asked my hubby what he thought of quinoa, he said…”I love playing quinoa when we go to Vegas!” I looked at him with one of those seriously? looks (ladies you know what I’m talking about!)  Then he smiled and said yes, I love it, the more the better!

Watermelon Salad

Watermelon Salad

So whether you love quinoa, or never have tried it, this is an excellent option for a bright summer salad!

Very simple ingredients – 

Watermelon Salad

  • watermelon
  • quinoa
  • feta cheese
  • almonds
  • arugula
  • kalamata olives
  • lemon
  • olive oil
  • balsamic reduction

We enjoyed it last night with a glass of wine on a hot, hot, hot Fresno evening and it was a perfect light dinner.

Watermelon Quinoa Salad

Watermelon Quinoa Salad

This morning as I was packing my hubby’s lunch, I tried it again, just a sample. It’s best super cold – so if you make this, cut up the watermelon, cook the quinoa, chop the olives and toast the almonds, you can mix them together and refrigerate it. Just before serving add the feta and arugula.

Dress the salad with a couple drizzles of olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Toss to coat and transfer it to a beautiful bowl. Top it with a balsamic vinegar reduction and it’s ready to serve!

Watermelon Quinoa Salad

Watermelon Quinoa Salad

Leftovers are delicious on day two. This meal is light and very healthy. Don’t worry though, you don’t need to tell everyone how good it is for you. 😀  Enjoy!

More delicious salads to enjoy!

Watermelon Quinoa Salad
5 from 1 vote
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Watermelon Quinoa Salad

Watermelon Quinoa Salad - This meal is light and very healthy. Leftovers are delicious on day two. 

Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 340 kcal
Author Souper Chef Debra from Bowl Me Over

Ingredients

  • 6 cups watermelon cut into small bite sized pieces
  • 1 cup dry quinoa
  • 4 oz feta cheese crumbled
  • 1/2 cup almonds or walnuts
  • 2 cups arugula lightly packed
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives cut in half
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • balsamic reduction - optional recipe below

Instructions

  1. Cook the quinoa according to package directions. When complete, drain and set aside to cool.
  2. Toast the almonds (or walnuts) in a dry pan on top of the stove over medium-low heat. It will take about 10 minutes to toast them. Watch the pan as you will need to shake it occasion to ensure they do not burn. When they are toasty brown, remove them from the heat and immediately remove them from the pan (If they are left in the pan, they will continue to cook and may burn) and set them on the cutting board. When they are cool enough to handle, give them a chop. You'll want large, crunchy pieces.
  3. Cut the watermelon into small bite sized pieces. Put these in a large bowl with the kalamatra olives. When cooled add the quinoa and nuts. Add the crumbled feta cheese and arugula. Drizzle with olive oil and an entire lemon. Toss together well, transfer to a beautiful bowl and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Enjoy!
  4. This salad is best super cold, so it makes sense to cook the quinoa the day before and chop the watermelon and refrigerate them overnight. The next day assembly is super easy!

  5. Balsamic Glaze - 1 cup of good balsamic vinegar. Place in a non-reactive pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Turn your fan on because the vinegar is quite pungent! Reduce to medium and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes until the vinegar will coat the back of a spoon. Once cool, tuck it into the refrigerator - it will continue to thicken as it cools. This will last a week in your refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts
Watermelon Quinoa Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 340 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 31%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 16mg 5%
Sodium 303mg 13%
Potassium 433mg 12%
Total Carbohydrates 33g 11%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Sugars 11g
Protein 9g 18%
Vitamin A 22.5%
Vitamin C 27.7%
Calcium 14.5%
Iron 12.8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Comments

  2. What in interesting spin! I don’t think I’ve ever heard of watermelon and quinoa together so this is super neat!

    Reply

  15. I have always been interested in trying a watermelon salad, but have never actually tried it before! I am not a feta fan so I would skip that, but otherwise this looks wonderful!

    Reply

  16. What a great combination salad as would never had thought to combine these ingredients, but it works for me! Looks and sounds healthy as can be!

    Reply

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Meet Souper Chef Deb

Welcome to Bowl Me Over! My name is Debra and I send warm greetings from sunny California. I am a serious foodie – I’ve been known as the go-to girl in our family for years, catering weddings and anniversary parties and in the summer help cook mountains of food for our family reunions. Often times things I create end up in a bowl, hence the name Bowl Me Over! Learn More . . .