Caprese Quinoa Salad is filled with mozzarella, tomatoes and fresh basil. Add in quinoa and a simple white balsamic vinaigrette and summer just got delicious with this easy side dish recipe.
Serve this recipe as a side dish or top it with sliced cooked chicken or cooked shrimp and make this recipe your main meal.
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Caprese Salad
Caprese, a combination of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, are the true flavors of summer!
Combine them with quinoa, the oh-so popular super food, and you'll have your new favorite side dish of the summer!
I guarantee you'll be making our Caprese Quinoa Salad all summer long!
Love quinoa and want more recipes? Our Quinoa Salad with Avocadois flavored with a light citrus dressing and studded with avocado and peas.
And then there’s Mediterranean Quinoa Salad With Feta & Dill that’s brimming with artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, dill and creamy feta cheese, the fresh flavors of Greece.
Have you checked out my Ultimate Guide To Making Homemade Salad Dressings? Making a Homemade Salad Dressing is so easy and takes just minutes. Made with simple real food ingredients, your salad dressing from scratch is not just better than store bought, it’s better for you and oh so delicious too!
Be sure to visit the Swirls of Flavor Amazon Storefront for GG's personal kitchen recommendations!
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How to make a caprese salad
This is a quick overview of how to make this easy side dish recipe. Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- In medium saucepot bring 2 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until water has been absorbed, 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Using a fork, fluff up quinoa. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Uncover and cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in serving dish combine olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt and pepper until blended.
- Stir in quinoa, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, gently tossing until evenly coated. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- Add more flavor with chopped sundried tomatoes
- Add lots of color and use heirloom grape tomatoes
Substitutions
- No white balsamic vinegar? Just substitute balsamic vinegar
- Substitute pearl shaped mozzarella for fresh mozzarella and save time chopping
- You can use your favorite grain, such as farro, in place of quinoa. Just follow the package directions for cooking it.
- Cherry tomatoes can replace grape tomatoes
Ingredients
Ingredients for a caprese quinoa salad
- quinoa
- olive oil
- white balsamic vinegar
- kosher salt
- pepper
- fresh mozzarella
- grape tomatoes
- fresh basil
Easy Quinoa Recipes
Time to add more quinoa recipes to your menu rotation.
Grab N Go Quinoa Egg Muffins are an ideal way to stat your day packed with protein!
From the juicy fresh strawberries and crunchy pistachios to the delicate quinoa, Strawberry Pistachio Quinoa is packed with nutrition and flavor.
Filled with lentils and quinoa, carrots and kale, Quinoa Lentil Broth Bowl will be a perfect Meatless Monday dinner when you make it with vegetable broth and top it with an egg!
A bruschetta topping of heirloom tomatoes, red onion, fresh basil, olive oil and white balsamic vinegar top a bowl of the super grain quinoa for a colorful summer side dish when you make Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta Quinoa. And don't forget to add quinoa to your breakfast!
Quinoa Caprese Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chopped fresh mozzarella
- 1 cup grape tomatoes , halved crosswise
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
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Instructions
- In medium saucepot bring 2 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until water has been absorbed, 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Using a fork, fluff up quinoa. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Uncover and cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in serving dish combine olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt and pepper until blended.
- Stir in quinoa, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, gently tossing until evenly coated. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
i am making this tonight. i have lots of fresh basil. it's low glycemic and healthy. perfect. thank you so much.
Excellent Carolyn! Let me know how it turns out for you!