If you love a salad that is packed with flavor, texture, and all of the fixings, then I’ve got the perfect salad for you—my Loaded Spring Quinoa Salad with Creamy Sesame Dressing. This is not your average salad—it’s loaded with curly kale, crunchy Persian cucumbers, protein-packed chickpeas, artichoke hearts, briny olives, fresh dill, creamy feta, and hearty quinoa, all tossed in a dreamy, creamy tahini-based dressing that you will want to put on everything. It’s definitely a salad that will keep you full and satisfied, and it gets better and better as the days go on, making it perfect for meal prep!
Friends, I don’t like wimpy salads. Life is too short for wimpy salads. You know the ones—where you’re left hungry an hour later, wondering why you even bothered? Yeah, that is absolutely not what this recipe is about. This Loaded Spring Quinoa Salad is everything a salad should be: filling, flavorful, packed with texture, and totally crave-worthy.
One thing I love about this salad is that it was actually inspired by all of you! So many of you have asked me for recipes that are great for meal prep, and this one checks every single box. The flavors develop and deepen over time, which means that by day two or three, this salad is even MORE delicious than when you first make it. If you work in an office or are just someone who loves having a healthy, grab-and-go lunch ready to go throughout the week, this one is absolutely for you.
And let’s talk about that dressing for a second, because it is truly the best part. It’s creamy, tangy, garlicky, and has the most perfect flavor thanks to a handful of simple ingredients—tahini, red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey, lemon, and garlic. It comes together in the blender in less than a minute, and I promise you, you will want to drizzle it on absolutely everything.
What You Need to Make This Loaded Spring Quinoa Salad
- Quinoa: The base of this salad is hearty, protein-packed quinoa, which is what makes it so satisfying and filling. Cook it according to your preferred method, fluff it with a fork, and let it cool before adding it to the salad!
- Curly Kale: This salad calls for a full bunch of curly kale, with the stems removed and the leaves chopped. Kale is hearty enough to hold up to the dressing without getting soggy, which makes it perfect for meal prep. Be sure to massage it slightly before adding the other ingredients, to help soften the texture!
- Persian Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are perfect for this salad. They’re small, crunchy, and won’t get soggy over time — which is exactly what you want in a meal prep salad. If you can’t find Persian cucumbers, an English cucumber works just as well!
- Chickpeas: A full can of chickpeas adds an incredible boost of plant-based protein and fiber to this salad. Be sure to drain and rinse them well before adding them in!
- Artichoke Hearts: Artichoke hearts add the most delicious, savory flavor to this salad and are one of my favorite ingredients. I love using them in salads because they add such a unique texture and taste.
- Scallions: A full bunch of scallions adds a fresh, mild onion flavor that pairs perfectly with all of the other ingredients in this salad. I love using the full scallion — both the greens and the whites — for the best flavor!
- Castelvetrano Olives: If you haven’t tried Castelvetrano olives before, they are buttery, mild, and SO delicious — totally different from the traditional canned black olives. They add a briny, rich flavor to this salad that takes it to the next level.
- Fresh Dill: A generous handful of fresh dill adds the most beautiful, herby flavor to this salad. I love how it brightens everything up!
- Feta Cheese: Crumbled feta adds a salty, creamy element to this salad that ties everything together.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is full of healthy fats and makes for the perfect base for this creamy dressing. I recommend using a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor!
- Red Wine Vinegar: A generous splash of red wine vinegar adds the perfect tangy, bright note to this dressing — it balances out the richness of the tahini nicely.
- Tahini: Made from ground sesame seeds, it gives the dressing its signature creamy, nutty flavor. Make sure you’re using a good quality tahini that is smooth and runny for the best results!
- Honey: A drizzle of honey adds just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the tanginess of the vinegar and lemon.
- Fresh Garlic: Four cloves of fresh garlic give this dressing the most incredible, bold flavor.
- Lemon Juice: A full lemon’s worth of fresh juice brightens up the entire dressing and adds a fresh, citrusy flavor.
- Water: A splash of water helps thin the dressing out to the perfect, pourable consistency.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: A pinch of kosher salt and black pepper ties everything together and enhances all of the other flavors in the dressing. Season to taste and adjust as needed!
How to Make This Easy Meal Prep Quinoa Salad
To make this salad, start by cooking your quinoa according to your preferred method. Once it’s done, fluff it with a fork and set it aside to cool completely.
While the quinoa is cooling, prep your vegetables. Wash and chop the curly kale (removing the stems first!), dice the Persian cucumbers, chop the artichoke hearts, slice the scallions, chop the Castelvetrano olives, and chop the fresh dill. Add everything to a large bowl, along with the drained and rinsed chickpeas, the crumbled feta, and the cooled quinoa. Toss everything together until it’s evenly combined.
Next, prepare the dressing. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, tahini, honey, garlic cloves, lemon juice, water, kosher salt, and black pepper to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. The dressing should be thick, pourable, and incredibly fragrant — if it’s too thick, add a splash more water to thin it out. Finally, pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until it’s fully coated. Once it’s done, serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days — and trust me, the longer it sits, the better it gets!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
- ¼ Cup Tahini
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- ¼ Cup Water
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
For the Salad:
- 1 Bunch Curly Kale, stems removed, chopped
- 3 Persian Cucumbers, diced
- 15 Ounces Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 Cup Artichoke Hearts, chopped
- 1 Bunch Scallions, chopped
- ¾ Cups Castelvetrano Olives, chopped
- ¼ Cup Dill, chopped
- ½ Cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
- 3 Cups Cooked Quinoa
Instructions
- To make this salad, start by cooking your quinoa according to your preferred method. Once it’s done, fluff it with a fork and set it aside to cool completely.
- While the quinoa is cooling, prep your vegetables. Wash and chop the curly kale (removing the stems first!), dice the Persian cucumbers, chop the artichoke hearts, slice the scallions, chop the Castelvetrano olives, and chop the fresh dill.
- Add everything to a large bowl, along with the drained and rinsed chickpeas, the crumbled feta, and the cooled quinoa. Toss everything together until it's evenly combined.
- Next, prepare the dressing. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, tahini, honey, garlic cloves, lemon juice, water, kosher salt, and black pepper to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. The dressing should be thick, pourable, and incredibly fragrant — if it’s too thick, add a splash more water to thin it out.
- Finally, pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until it's fully coated. Once it's done, serve and enjoy!
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days — and trust me, the longer it sits, the better it gets!
Rate & review
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