Quinoa Confetti Salad with Sugar Snap Peas & Toasted Pepitas

This salad contributed to a bit of a shocking Saturday night meal for my guy. We dined on roasted artichokes along with generous scoopfuls of this lovely little number, and while he was aware that the meal was clearly meatless, he was a little taken aback when I told him it was actually vegan, too. My dedicated (but open-minded) carnivore jokingly shot me a “are you trying to kill me?!” look; and then he dug in. And we were satisfied (stuffed, actually) at meal’s end.

This colorful quinoa confetti salad is one of those great versatile dishes that works just as well as a main dish for dinner as it does a side. And as lunch? Fuggedaboutit. Perfection. Plus, it’s pretty, too.

I’d been trying to come up with a quinoa-based veggie patty to share with you today, and was failing. Stupid falling apart veggie burgers! So I decided to put my remaining quinoa to better use: this protein-rich, veggie-packed, party of a salad.

I used vibrant sugar snap peas along with crunchy grated carrot and a double onion-y (but not overpowering!) one-two punch: some finely chopped red onion, and a nice handful of spring chives.  In fact, if this salad wasn’t so dang colorful, I would have gone with its original name, “spring quinoa salad.” But “confetti” won out. Confetti should always win out, actually. Even if you’re vacuuming it up for years (actual confetti, not this salad).

Both my slightly vegan-averse guy and myself believe that the lightly toasted pepitas make this simple salad sing. That added little crunch adds the perfect amount of texture to each and every bite.

It takes just a few minutes to toast the pepitas in a saute pan. Definitely worth it.

This salad is terrific right after it’s tossed together, but next-day portions are even better. Totally the bee’s knees. Lunch leftover recipes = the best kinds of recipes.

So, hey! Have you noticed things look a tad different around here?! I am so freaking beside-myself pumped to unveil my brand spankin’ new site! This time around, I hired the pros to take care of business and, man. SO WORTH IT. Artist Katt Frank created the hand-illustrated logo – isn’t it neat?! And the ever-awesome Purr Design designed and developed the site, which is just so spiffy I could cry. Happy tears, of course.

We’ve been doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work to make Kitchen Treaty much easier to navigate. It should now be way, way easier to find a specific recipe and much more pleasant to browse if you’re just shopping around. I really hope you like the new, improved Kitchen Treaty as much as I do. And if you have any suggestions, those are always welcome, too.

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 40 mins

Quinoa Confetti Salad with Sugar Snap Peas & Toasted Pepitas

5 from 1 vote

This light, veggie-packed, and protein-rich salad is equally perfect for potlucks, packed lunches, or super-easy dinners.

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Yield: 4 -6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried quinoa (about 1 1/2 cup cooked)
• 2 cups sugar snap peas
• 1/2 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1/2 cup grated carrots (about 2 small carrots)
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion (about 1/4 small onion)
• 1/4 cup minced chives
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Fill a medium saucepan half full with water and bring to a boil. Add the sugar snap peas and boil for one minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer peas to a few layers of paper towels to dry and cool. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch long pieces.
• Place a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the pepitas and cook, stirring constantly, until toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Add quinoa, peas, and pepitas to a large bowl along with the carrots, onion, and chives. Toss to combine.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over salad and toss again to coat.
• Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
• To store, cover tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to two days.