Spiralized Radish and Arugula Salad with Quinoa, Hemp Seeds and Pepita Seeds

This has been my go-to salad of the moment for a couple of reasons:

It is is light and yet satisfying and filling from the plant-based protein (quinoa, hemp seeds and pepita seeds). It is nutritious and perfect for tiding me over when I’m hungry but need to prepare dinner. It also makes a nice light lunch.
It is super easy to pull together requiring only six ingredients and an easy vinaigrette that you can simply shake or whisk together.
It is full of interesting texture from the chewy, fluffy quinoa, crunchy pepita seeds, crispy spiralized radishes and delicate baby arugula leaves. The sprinkle of hemp seeds also adds a nice depth of texture to the salad.
It is fresh and delicious. The salty, savory pepitas make the salad so definitely don’t skip those. The green onions add nice flavor but don’t overpower the salad the way red onions can sometimes do. The radishes add some bite and slight spiciness to the salad that I just love. And the dressing is light and flavorful and perfect for the quinoa to soak up.

I know February is not typically the time of year to be sharing salad recipes but I do find myself still craving salads throughout this season. I have been making this one every week and just had to share. Whenever I mention it on my Instagram stories, everyone wants the recipe so I figured it was worth a quick post even though it is so simple to pull together. If you cannot handle the idea of a salad now then definitely tuck this one away until spring time. Only six more weeks (not that I’m counting)!

The spiralized radishes on the salad are not only beautiful but I swear radishes somehow taste better spiralized over sliced, diced or chopped. It is definitely worth trying, especially if you can find radishes that are large. I also find spiralizing radishes to be much easier than slicing them by hand which can be tedious and time consuming. With spiralizing it is ready to top on your salad in literally seconds. I spiralize a bunch of radishes at once and store extras in an airtight container filled with water to keep them hydrated and crispy. This is the spiralizer I own and swear by (affiliate link).

I hope you love this salad as much as I do. It is so easy and flavorful. This dish is vegan, soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free. If you give it a try, please let me know! Leave a comment below, rate it above, and tag a photo @eatingbyelaine and #eatingbyelaine on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook so I can see your creations!

Spiralized Radish and Arugula Salad with Quinoa, Hemp Seeds and Pepita Seeds

Author: Elaine Gordon
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
Yield: 1 1x

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Description

This light and yet satisfying salad is perfect for a quick and easy lunch or pre-dinner snack. This recipe serves one but can be easily doubled to serve two. I always make a large batch of quinoa each week and use that on the salad but if you do not have be sure to start that before making the rest of the salad.

Scale

Ingredients

2 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup cooked and cooled white quinoa (How to Make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa)
1/4 cup roasted and salted pepita seeds*
2 tablespoons raw hemp seeds
2 large radishes, spiralized **
1 green onion, diced
Dressing (makes more than you need)
1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place arugula in a bowl or on a plate. Top with quinoa, pepita seeds and hemp seeds. Arrange the spiralized radishes in the center. Top with green onions (not pictured).
Pour 3-4 tablespoons of dressing over the salad. Enjoy immediately.