This quick zucchini quinoa salad is a great option for a vegan main meal or side dish that gets to the table in under 20 minutes if you have cooked quinoa already on hand. You just need zucchini, tomatoes, fresh dill and lemon.
For non-vegetarians at the table, this is a great side dish that goes with just about any kind of meat. Bookmark this recipe for you next BBQ or potluck.
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When it's so hot outside, you don't even want to go into the kitchen, you need meals that come together with little to no cooking. And this quinoa salad with zucchini fits the bill.
It cooks up in under 20 minutes if you have a batch of cooked quinoa in the refrigerator like I often do, and it's absolutely delicious. In fact, it's my newest go-to dinner for myself and casual dinners with friends with all the fresh zucchini and tomatoes still in the markets. Another quinoa salad that's fabulous in summer, is Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Avocado.
But if quinoa isn't your thing, a grains salad that is a favorite is this Moroccan Couscous Salad with Moroccan couscous. I've been making it for years.
And if you like rice salads, this Herby Peas and Green Crispy Rice is fantastic. Seriously fantastic.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- No fancy ingredients. Except for the fresh dill, you probably have everyone already on hand.
- Ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.
- Serve it as a main vegetarian or vegan dish or as a side for the meat-eaters at the table.
- Make ahead and serve at room temperature if that works best for your schedule.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
The secret to faster and easier meals often lies in the ingredients. For example, store-bought items and ingredients you make ahead and store in the refrigerator (or freezer) can turn a 60-minute recipe into a 30-minutes meal or less.
For the all of the ingredients, measurements and directions, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Cooked quinoa - I prefer white quinoa in this recipe, but use red quinoa if you prefer it.
- Zucchini
- Onion
- Fresh dill - or other fresh herbs you prefer such as fresh mint.
- Cherry tomatoes
- Roasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
Note: the amounts provided in the below recipe card for these ingredients can be adjusted for your own preferences. If I have some extra zucchini I need to use up, I chop it up and add it to the dish.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.
🔪 Recommended Equipment
Having the right equipment for recipes makes prepping soooo much easier. If you want more fuss-free prepping and cooking, check out my updated list of favorite kitchen tools and equipment.
📝 Instructions Overview
Detailed instructions for making this quinoa zucchini salad are in the recipe card below, but here's a quick overview!
Step 1
Make ahead. Cook up a batch of quinoa and pan-roast pumpkin seeds if you don't have any on hand. These can both be made ahead, or at the same time you prepare the rest of the salad.
Step 2
Prep the zucchini. Trim off the ends of the zucchini, and slice the squash into ⅛" zucchini slices.
For smaller pieces as shown in the photo, first quarter the zucchini lengthwise before slicing into ⅛" slices.
Step 3
Slice the onion. Cut the onion in half, horizontally around its middle (not vertically from end to end). Lay the onion down on its flat side and slice in half again so that the onion is now in quarters. Slice the onion into thin slices.
If you cut the thin slices lengthwise, the onion slices lay flatter in the skillet.
Step 4
Chop the tomato, garlic and dill. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the dill. Peel and mince the garlic.
Step 5
A quick sauté. Warm olive oil in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat, and add the sliced onion. Once it begins to sizzle, add the zucchini. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, dill, and salt, and sauté another 1 - 2 minutes, until fragrant.
Stir in cooked quinoa, tomato and a little lemon juice to brighten the dish. Sauté for 3 - 4 minutes until everything is warm.
Step 6
Serve. Serve warm or at room temperature with a flurry of roasted pumpkin seeds. Adjust for lemon and dill if needed before serving.
💡Ideas for Possible Variations
- Swap out quinoa for rice or farro if that's your preference.
- Add crispy roasted chickpeas on top in place of the pepitas or pine nuts for extra protein.
- Use other herbs, such as basil or marjoram. For more information on how to work with herbs, check out this post on how to use herbs and spices in cooking.
🙋♀️ Quinoa Salad with Zucchini FAQ
Can I make this dish ahead?
Yes, this salad is great warm or at room temperature, making a perfect dish for BBQs and potlucks.
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Quinoa Salad with Zucchini and Tomatoes
Equipment
- Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot for cooking the quinoa
- Small skillet for pan-roasting the pumpkin seeds
- Chef's knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups zucchini, (1 large or 2 small zucchini)
- 1 cup yellow onion, sliced thinly (½ large onion)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (or 2 teaspoons garlic paste)
- ¼ cup fresh chopped dill, (or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 2 - 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
Instructions
- Make ahead. Cook up a batch of quinoa and pan-roast pumpkin seeds if you don't have any on hand. These can both be made ahead, or at the same time you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Prep the zucchini. Trim off the ends of the zucchini, and slice the squash into ⅛" slices. For smaller pieces as shown in the photo, first quarter the zucchini lengthwise before slicing into ⅛" slices.
- Slice the onion. Cut the onion in half, horizontally around its middle (not vertically from end to end). Lay the onion down on its flat side and slice in half again so that the onion is now in quarters. Slice the onion into thin slices. If you cut the thin slices lengthwise, the onion slices lay flatter in the skillet.
- Chop the tomato, garlic and dill. Coarsely chop the tomato and dill. Peel and mince the garlic.
- A quick sauté. Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add the sliced onion. Once it begins to sizzle, add the zucchini. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, dill, salt, and pepper and sauté another 1 - 2 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in cooked quinoa, tomato and a little lemon juice to brighten the dish. Sauté for 3 - 4 minutes until everything is warm.
- Serve. Serve warm or at room temperature with a flurry of roasted pumpkin seeds. Adjust for lemon and dill if needed before serving.
Jamie
Wow what a great recipe! I wonder if a dash of balsamic vinegar and or Dijon mustard might add an extra depth of flavor? I’d like to try but don’t know how it would taste
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I love these idea! It's a light dish, so balsamic vinegar might be a bit much unless it's just a dash as you suggest. And I love the mustard idea. I'm going to try that and report back. If you do this, I'd love to know what you think!!
Kristina Paul
Does this keep well in the fridge for a day or so? Thanks!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I've made it earlier in the day, but not the day before and refrigerated it. It should be fine one day ahead. I wouldn't go long because the dill can turn brown and lose it's freshness of flavor. I would be concerned that the zucchini and tomato could become a little watery too. Also, if you finish it with more dill and pepitas, I would do that just before serving. If you make it ahead and refrigerate, let me know how it goes!