This flavorful one-pot sweet and spiced quinoa lentil salad is the perfect easy, vegan dish to make for lunch or dinner! Fresh parsley and cilantro, green and red onions, and ground spices provide loads of bold flavor that pairs beautifully with chewy, sweet dried berries and crunchy sliced almonds. Finish it off with a squeeze of fresh lime and you'll find there is absolutely nothing bland about this colorful dish that can be served hot or cold!
One-pot quick and easy meals are my life right now! I LOVE to cook and I spend more time in the kitchen than almost anywhere else...but most days, when 5:00 rolls around, I'm looking for EASY! A dinner that I don't have to stress and fuss over is always a win. This One-Pot Sweet and Spiced Quinoa Lentil Salad is ready in just 25 minutes and makes enough for leftovers. Yup, it's dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow! This also makes it awesome for meal prep, and it's even delicious hot or cold. I've even packed it up for lunch, picnics, and potlucks and it travels so well!
Ingredients in Sweet & Spiced Quinoa Lentil Salad
This lineup of ingredients seriously makes me sooo happy...it's just so colorful and flavorful! This is a true rainbow of veggies, spices, grains, and herbs, and I love gathering these ingredients knowing they're going to fill me up, make my body feel amazing, and taste absolutely divine.
- Red onion - Dice it up small! Red onion provides the first flavorful layer in this dish.
- Spices - Ground turmeric, curry powder, salt, and pepper are going to make your kitchen smell incredible and this dish taste amazing!
- White quinoa - Important tip for cooking with quinoa: rinse it first! Quinoa can taste bitter and even soapy if you don't give it a good rinse. Most of the time, when people tell me they don't like quinoa, this is the reason.
- Lentils - I suggest French green lentils or black Beluga lentils. Black beluga lentils are my favorite in terms of texture. Lentils are a wonderful way to add nutrients and filling content to vegan dinners.
- Vegetable broth - I always use low-sodium vegetable broth...or you can make your own No-Waste Vegetable Broth!
- Aromatics - Green onions, cilantro and parsley, all chopped up with the large stems removed.
- Almonds - Sliced almonds work great here. Omit these for a nut-free version! You can replace them with sunflower seeds, pepitas, or leave it out completely.
- Unsweetened dried cranberries - I LOVE the chewy, tart sweetness that dried berries add to this salad! It's unexpected and do delicious. You could also try chopped dates!
- Maple syrup - My favorite natural sweetener! I buy pure maple syrup in bulk because I use it in so many recipes.
- Lime - You'll need the juice of one lime to finish this dish, and I'll be honest...I think it's the secret ingredient that sends this dish into close-your-eyes, oh-my-goodness territory!
All About Quinoa
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is an incredible base for so many of my meals. It's quick to make (I always make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa in the Instant Pot!), absorbs the other flavors in the dish, and is light and fluffy in texture while also being filling and nutritious. Quinoa is loaded with fiber (over five grams in one serving!) and is considered a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids. It actually has more protein than any other grain, which is so important for vegans! Quinoa is also a good source of folate, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and many phytochemicals. It also offers important minerals such as calcium, potassium, copper and zinc.
For a complete guide on quinoa, see my post on Quinoa Benefits for Vegans (+ Recipes).
Meal Prep Quinoa Lentil Salad
This flavorful salad is perfect for meal-prep and can be served warm or cold. It is incredibly satisfying and loaded with plant-based protein and fiber. I find this salad to be incredibly filling since it is loaded with plant-based protein from the quinoa, lentils, and sliced almonds! You can omit the sliced almonds for a nut-free option. It is naturally gluten-free and grain-free (and yet quite hearty).
This Sweet & Spiced One-Pot Quinoa Lentil Salad is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, and can easily be made nut-free! I hope it's a recipe that you make and love as much as I do. Please don't forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see your delicious, colorful meals, and leave a review below if you make this dish. If you sign up for my newsletter, you'll receive a free printable download with 10 one-pot dinners like this one!
Looking for More Quinoa Recipes?
- Easy Mexican Quinoa Salad
- Spinach Quinoa Salad with Roasted Blueberry Vinaigrette
- Quinoa Minestrone Soup
- Mango-Avocado Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pepitas
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Crispy Quinoa Falafel Bowls
- Roasted Veggies & Crispy Chickpeas over Quinoa with Garlic Maple Tahini Drizzle
- Roasted Beet Noodles Over Quinoa with Parsley Pesto
- Quick & Easy One-Pot Curried Quinoa & Chickpeas
- Creamy Vegan Mexican Quinoa Casserole
- Crispy Quinoa and Avocado Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
- Berry-Cherry Quinoa Salad with Candied Walnuts and Balsamic-Shallot Vinaigrette
- Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
One-Pot Sweet & Spiced Quinoa Lentil Salad
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This one-pot sweet and spiced quinoa lentil salad is the perfect easy dish to make for lunch or dinner and serve hot or cold. It is full of nutrient-rich ingredients and is vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar-free. The recipe only requires five minutes of hands-on time and uses mostly pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked white quinoa
- ½ cup French green lentils or black Beluga lentils
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 6 green onions, ends removed and diced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, large stems removed and chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley, large stems removed and chopped
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup dried mixed berries or dried cranberries
- 1 juicy lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- In a large rimmed saute pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add red onion, turmeric, curry, salt and pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes until onions are soft and start to turn translucent.
- Add the quinoa, lentils and vegetable broth and stir until well combined. Bring to a boil. Place the pan lid securely on top and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 17-20 minutes without lifting the lid. My pan is non-stick and ceramic and cooks everything evenly without burning the bottom. It took 20 minutes exactly in my pan and I checked on it by viewing through the clear lid at 17 minutes. At that point not all the liquid was absorbed so I let it cook for the full 20 minutes.
- Once all the liquid is absorbed, turn the burner off and stir in the green onions, cilantro, parsley, almonds, dried berries, lime juice, and maple syrup. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You may want to add more salt, pepper, lime juice, maple syrup or herbs. Enjoy immediately hot or warm or store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to five days. This salad is also delicious served chilled. It can be reheated in the microwave in a microwave safe container if desired.
Notes
Many of you ask about these storage jars. I love them so much. They can be found here.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Entree or Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Keywords: quinoa lentil salad
Recipe adapted from Ambitious Kitchen's One Pot Moroccan Chickpea Quinoa Salad.
Christy Alvarado says
Omg! These salad jars look great! Could you share where they are from?
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much! I love them! They are by Weck. Here is a link: https://www.eatingbyelaine.com/product/mold-jar-set-of-6/
Ellie B. says
This was delicious. Made it for a pool party and everyone loved it. Only adjustments were that I broth sautéed instead of oil and I added mint because I like mint. Thanks for the recipe.
Elaine Gordon says
Awesome! So happy to hear it! This is one of my go-to favorite dishes on the blog... I love your adjustments... mint sounds incredible especially during summer! Glad it was a hit at your pool party! Did you serve it cold?
Ellie B. says
I sampled it while it was warm - so good - for the gathering, I served it cold with a bag of spring mix.
Elaine Gordon says
Sounds incredible!
Gila says
SOOOOO good. I could eat the whole lot myself.
Like someone else said, I had a tin of lentils so put just 1 and 3/4 cup stock just for quinoa and cooked for 15 mins and it was perfect, and then added the drained and rinsed lentils (the whole tin) with the rest of the ingredients.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you, Gila! So awesome to hear that.
Anne Marie says
I don't like parsley and my husband doesn't like cilantro. Any ideas for other herbs to use? Mint?
Elaine Gordon says
I think mint would be a great idea... not too much though.. maybe with chives too! I haven't tried it this way but mint could work well here I think...
Elaine Gordon says
Also you could try finely chopped fresh baby arugula! Do you like arugula?
Elaine Gordon says
Do you like baby arugula? You could finely chop that up and use that instead!
Marie says
I was wondering if you use uncooked or cooked lentils?
Elaine Gordon says
uncooked
Marie says
I made this tonight and it was really good! We loved it 🙂
I used a can of cooked lentils instead of the uncooked ones and it worked great, i just used half the broth to make it work.
Elaine Gordon says
Amazing! So happy to hear that! Thank you for the feedback and for letting us know cooked lentils work just as well (with half the broth). That is super helpful to know for other readers. Thanks again for taking the time!
Britini Sombke says
Would using regular lentils throw off the whole flavor profile? I don't have any french green or beluga
Elaine Gordon says
Just don't use red or yellow lentils - the texture is mushier. Have you ever bought canned lentils? I buy canned black lentils from Sprouts and sometimes toss them in at the end if I don't have dry lentils.
Christina Albert says
This was delicious! I added spinach halfway through the lentils and quinoa were cooking (after like 10ish min) to add extra greens in my life.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Christina! So happy you hear you enjoyed it and were able to get in those greens!
Mandy says
I’m making this recipe times 3 - am I reading correctly that I am going to cook 3 whole red onions with the spices? Just wanted to double check!
Elaine Gordon says
Awesome! Yes, that is correct. Best, Elaine
KAREN MCINTYRE says
I love this salad. The flavors are delicious. I put some lettuce and the salad on a wrap. It was delicious. Thanks Elaine.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Karen! I love that you wrapped it up! What a fun idea! So happy you enjoyed this one so much! Best, Elaine
Diana Cooper says
I am just in love with this salad. It is so delicious and addictive. I am just hoping there will be some leftover for tomorrow’s lunch. Thinking I might stuff some in a pita with onions and cucumbers.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Diana! I'm so happy you love this one too! Stuffed in a pita with onions and cucumbers sounds amazing!! 🙂
Tricia says
Wow! This recipe does go together fast and makes the kitchen smell amazing! Yum
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Tricia! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this one! I agree it does fill up the kitchen with the best smell! Thank you again! Best, Elaine
I also use quinoa, black lentils, millet and buckwheat groats. Great combination. Vegan_hen says
We love this recipe so much that it has been in my refrigerator nonstop for a month and a half. I put it on our salads and snack on it through the day. Such an awesome recipe. But, I cook the Grains separately and add the rest of the ingredients after the grains have cooled. I also use quinoa, black lentils, millet and buckwheat groats. Great combination.
Elaine Gordon says
OMG amazing! Thank you so much for letting me know! I'm so happy you have been enjoying this one and were able to put your own spin on it! Best, Elaine
Ella says
This looks delish. Can't wait to try it.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Ella! I hope you enjoy it! Best, Elaine
Linda Frank says
I liked it very much looking for something that I can eat in more than one day.
Elaine Gordon says
So happy to hear you enjoyed this one, Linda!
Nick says
Loved this. Absolutely loved it.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much for the five star rating, Nick! I'm so happy to hear you loved this one so much! Best, Elaine
Peggy says
This was super delicious! After reading the comments, i placed servings on a bed of greens and added a bit of mint. Immediately i made a second batch to nosh on.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Peggy! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it. Love your addition of the mint! Best, Elaine
Mary says
This was delicious and simple. Thank you!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Mary!
Geri Wilson says
Easy and delicious.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Geri!
D. Howard says
Excellent! I left out the salt and added fresh ground ginger; I also left out the maple syrup. Since I couldn’t find unsweetened cranberries the dish had a nice bit of sweetness without the syrup. My wife loved it as well, and she’s usually not a fan of curry dishes. We’ll definitely be cooking this again!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much for the five star review, D! Glad you and your wife enjoyed this one and thanks for sharing your spin on it! Always helpful to other readers. Best, Elaine
PJ Spencer says
I was participating in a sustainability eating challenge at work and posted a link to this recipe. It got rave reviews. I love the flavor. It reminds me of a curry chicken salad I used to eat. This recipe is so much healthier and better for you and it tastes great. Thank you!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, PJ! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing! Have you tried my curried chickpea salad recipe? You might like it too: https://www.eatingbyelaine.com/curried-chickpea-salad/
Debra Burkeen says
I loved your salad. Very filling. I thought next time I will leave out the maple syrup, it was a little to sweet . I signed up for your other one pot meals. Can’t wait to try them.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Debra! I hope that has been helpful.
Peggy says
I love this recipe and so did my guests. I did use red lentils and had excess liquid so at the very end I added instant oatmeal and it worked out fine. Do you think you can freeze this dish? I have so much left over and I'm on day three now.
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Peggy: Thank you for sharing and so happy to hear you loved this one. In the future, I would not recommend any other type of lentil. Red lentils have a very different texture and absorption level hence why it was liquidy. But it sounds like you improvised and it all worked out for you. Yes, go ahead and freeze in an airtight container. I hope that helps! Best, Elaine
Melina says
Hi Elaine! I would like to make this tonight, and I have brown lentils on hand would that be ok? I’ll report back 🙂
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Melina: I'm so sorry for the delay here. You could use brown (but definitely not red lentils). I much prefer the flavor and texture of black lentils but if brown lentils is all you have on hand it will definitely work in a pinch. Pls LMK how it goes for you either way. Best, Elaine
Coby says
This was so delicious and full of flavor, and easy to make. I actually preferred it cold. This recipe is a keeper!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Coby! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this one. Thank you so much for the five star review! Funny, I prefer it cold as well! Best, Elaine
Lin Davis says
Hi this sounds yummy. If I were to do it in my One Pot how long should I cook it for please ?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Lin. Is a One Pot a pressure cooker?
Laura says
Fabulous recipe! I kept tasting it while still on the stove so I'm not hungry enough to sit down w/ a bowl of this. I look forward to when I am hungry again & then I can have a big scoop over a bed of arugula.
I made as recipe states other than I'm oil-free so I just used a bit of veggie broth to saute onion. I used mint instead of cilantro. I ended up with about a cup of lentils, only because I needed to finish off the bag of French green lentils. The recipe states this yields 4 servings. My additional lentils made a bigger batch of course, but I would say this is easily 8 servings. It made a lot-no need to double the recipe for leftovers for the next several dinners. Thanks for this recipe! 5 stars!!!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Laura! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this one so much and made it your own with what you had on hand! Thank you for the five star review! Much appreciated! Best, Elaine
Lindsey says
Going to make this for easy lunches! I’m trying to be better about having prepped, easy meals- do you think this could freeze ok?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Lindsey: That is great! So happy you found it and I hope it helps for easy lunches. That is exactly what I use it for. I would also love to recommend this similar recipe which I just made yesterday: https://www.eatingbyelaine.com/moroccan-quinoa-salad/
I would say in terms of freezing you could give it a try but I haven't had a chance to test it myself so I cannot say for sure. Can you please let me know if you do how that goes for you?
Thank you,
Elaine
Zoe says
I got all excited reading the recipe and wanted to try it out right now…. But then, I realized it is not made in the instant pot. Have you ever done it in an instant pot?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Zoe: I have not! Please LMK if you give it a try how it goes for you! Best, Elaine