Gluten-Free Ancient Grain Salad with Quinoa
By the Gluten Free Recipes team ·
This vibrant salad features fluffy quinoa and your choice of tender greens or roasted vegetables, all brought together by a zesty, herbaceous dressing. It's a satisfying and flavorful dish perfect for a light lunch or a hearty side.
At a glance: This easy salads and sides recipe yields 4 servings in about 30 minutes (10 min prep, 20 min cook). It uses 9 ingredients — including cooked quinoa, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice — and walks through 5 steps. Updated . Browse more salads and sides recipes or return to all gluten-free recipes.
Cross-Contamination Warning for Gluten-Free Ancient Grain Salad with Quinoa: When preparing this salads and sides recipe, exercise caution with packaged ingredients, especially quinoa and Dijon mustard, as they can be subject to cross-contamination with gluten during processing. Always look for certified gluten-free labels In a shared kitchen, avoid porous materials — wooden spoons, wooden cutting boards, and scratched non-stick pans can harbor gluten proteins even after washing. Prefer glass, metal, or silicone tools.
Gluten-Free Notes for Gluten-Free Ancient Grain Salad with Quinoa: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, relying on certified gluten-free quinoa and other whole ingredients. It avoids any gluten-containing grains.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked quinoa (ensure certified GF)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp certified gluten-free Dijon mustard
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
- 0.5 cup chopped fresh parsley or other herbs (optional)
- 0.25 cup toasted nuts or seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Ensure your quinoa is cooked according to package directions and has cooled slightly. If using other base ingredients like greens or roasted vegetables, prepare them now and allow them to cool to a manageable temperature for mixing.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, certified gluten-free Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and minced garlic, if using. Continue whisking until the dressing is well emulsified and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- 3
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with any optional additions like fresh herbs or toasted nuts and seeds. Add your prepared greens or roasted vegetables to the bowl, ensuring everything is ready to be coated.
- 4
Pour the prepared dressing over the quinoa and other salad ingredients. Gently toss everything together for about 2-3 minutes, ensuring each component is evenly coated with the zesty dressing. Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed for perfect flavor.
- 5
Serve the salad immediately if using delicate greens, or allow it to marinate at room temperature for about 15-30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld beautifully, especially for grain-based salads.
Nutrition (per serving)
Tips & Notes
- If substituting olive oil for butter, use about 3/4 the amount (olive oil is 100% fat, butter is ~80%).
- Zest the lemon before juicing — it's nearly impossible to zest after the lemon is squeezed.
- Roasted garlic (400°F, 30–40 min in foil) gives a sweet, mellow flavor ideal for soups and sauces.
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