This quick zucchini quinoa salad is an excellent vegan main meal or a great side dish option. If you have cooked quinoa on hand, it can be prepared in under 20 minutes. You only need zucchini, tomatoes, fresh dill, and lemon to make this delicious salad, so there are no fancy ingredients you need to hunt down.
This weeknight dish is a great way to use seasonal summer veggies.
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When it's so hot outside that you don't even want to go into the kitchen, you need meals that require little to no cooking. This vegetable quinoa salad fits the bill.
If you have a batch of cooked quinoa in the refrigerator or freezer like I often do, it cooks up in under 20 minutes and is absolutely delicious. In fact, it's my newest go-to dinner for myself and casual dinners with friends, with all the fresh zucchini and tomatoes in my markets. Another fabulous quinoa salad in summer is this Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Avocado.
But if quinoa isn't your thing, a hearty grains salad that is a favorite is this Moroccan Couscous Salad. You can make it ahead and serve it at room temperature. I've been making it for years, and it never disappoints.
Or, if you prefer rice salads, this Herby Peas and Green Crispy Rice is fantastic. Seriously fantastic.
Can you tell I love salads featuring grains?
❤️ Why you'll love this quinoa salad with veggies
- No fancy ingredients. Except for the fresh dill, you probably have everyone already on hand.
- Fast. Ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.
- Flexible. Serve it as a main vegetarian or vegan dish or as a side dish.
- Make-ahead friendly. Serve at room temperature if that works best for your schedule.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
The secret to faster and easier meals often lies in the ingredients. For example, store-bought items and ingredients you make ahead and store in the refrigerator (or freezer) can turn a 60-minute recipe into a 30-minute meal or less.
Go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post for all of the ingredients, measurements, and directions for this hearty quinoa salad recipe.
- Cooked quinoa - I prefer white quinoa in this recipe, but you can substitute red quinoa (or a mixture). Pre-cooked white quinoa may also be available in the frozen vegetables section of your market.
- Zucchini
- Yellow onion - Red onion and green onions are excellent substitutes.
- Fresh dill - or other fresh herbs you may prefer, such as fresh mint. If I have fresh mint in my garden, I use both.
- Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- Roasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
- Fresh lemon juice
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.
🔪 Recommended Equipment
Having the right equipment for recipes makes prepping so much easier. For fuss-free prepping and cooking, check out my updated list of favorite kitchen tools and equipment.
📝 Instructions Overview
Detailed instructions for making this quinoa zucchini salad are in the recipe card below, but here's a quick overview!
Step 1
Make ahead. Cook up a batch of quinoa and pan-roast the pumpkin seeds if you don't have any on hand. These can both be made ahead, or at the same time you prepare the rest of the salad.
Step 2
Prep the zucchini. Trim off the ends of the zucchini and slice them into ⅛" thick rounds or quarters.
Step 3
Slice the onion. Quarter an onion and thinly slice.
Step 4
Chop the tomato, garlic, and dill. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the dill. Peel and mince the garlic.
Step 5
A quick sauté. Warm olive oil in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat, and add the sliced onion. Once it begins to sizzle, add the zucchini. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, dill, and salt. Sauté another 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the cooked quinoa, tomatoes, and a splash of lemon juice to brighten the dish. Sauté for 3 - 4 minutes until everything is warm.
Step 6
Serve. Serve warm or at room temperature with a flurry of roasted pumpkin seeds. Adjust for more lemon and dill if needed before serving.
💡Ideas for Possible Variations
- Swap out quinoa for rice or farro if that's your preference.
- Add crispy roasted chickpeas on top in place of the pepitas or pine nuts for extra protein.
- Split the zucchini with yellow squash. Yellow squash only needs to sauté for 3 - 5 minutes for this salad.
- Add some feta cheese or goat cheese before serving this salad a more Mediterranean quinoa salad.
- This salad uses only a splash of lemon juice to finish it but if you prefer more of a vinaigrette, you can make one with very simple dressing ingredients. I recommend using olive oil and a light citrus vinegar or red wine vinegar using a 4:1 ratio.
- Use other herbs, such as basil or marjoram.
- For more information on how to work with herbs, check out this post on how to use herbs and spices in cooking.
🙋♀️ Quinoa Salad with Zucchini FAQ
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Yes, this salad is great warm or room temperature.
Can I use raw zucchini instead?
Yes, raw zucchini slices work well in this quinoa salad recipe. You can use raw tomatoes as well.
Or if you like to grill your zucchini, grilled zucchini is another option using an outside grill or stovetop grill pan.
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Quinoa Salad with Zucchini and Tomatoes
Equipment
- Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot for cooking the quinoa
- Small skillet for pan-roasting the pumpkin seeds
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups zucchini (1 large or 2 small zucchini)
- 1 cup yellow onion, sliced thinly (½ large onion)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ¼ cup fresh chopped dill
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 2 - 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
Instructions
- Make ahead. Cook up a batch of quinoa and pan-roast the pumpkin seeds while you meal prep and sauté the veggies and herbs. Or cook the quinoa ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator or freezer. It's also available pre-cooked at many markets in the frozen vegetables section.
- Prep the zucchini. Remove the ends and slice them in half lengthwise. Lay each zucchini half on its flat surface and slice in half again. Hold the long sections together and cut them into ⅛" thick slices.Alternatively, skip slicing the zucchini lengthwise and cut them into ⅛" thick rounds.
- Slice the onion. Cut the onion in half, horizontally around its middle (not vertically from end to end). Lay the onion down on its flat side and slice it in half again so it is now in quarters. Slice the onion into thin slices.
- Prep the tomato, garlic, and dill. Coarsely chop the tomato and dill. Peel and mince the garlic.
- A quick sauté. Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add the sliced onion. Once the onion begins to sizzle, add the zucchini slices and sauté for 7 - 10 minutes. Add the garlic, dill, salt, and pepper and sauté another 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant.Stir in cooked quinoa, tomato, and a splash of lemon juice to brighten the dish. Sauté for 3 - 4 minutes until everything is warm.
- Serve. Serve warm or at room temperature with a flurry of roasted pumpkin seeds. Adjust for lemon and dill if needed before serving.
Jamie
Wow what a great recipe! I wonder if a dash of balsamic vinegar and or Dijon mustard might add an extra depth of flavor? I’d like to try but don’t know how it would taste
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I love these idea! It's a light dish, so balsamic vinegar might be a bit much unless it's just a dash as you suggest. And I love the mustard idea. I'm going to try that and report back. If you do this, I'd love to know what you think!!
Kristina Paul
Does this keep well in the fridge for a day or so? Thanks!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I've made it earlier in the day, but not the day before and refrigerated it. It should be fine one day ahead. I wouldn't go long because the dill can turn brown and lose it's freshness of flavor. I would be concerned that the zucchini and tomato could become a little watery too. Also, if you finish it with more dill and pepitas, I would do that just before serving. If you make it ahead and refrigerate, let me know how it goes!
Toni McLean
Another success. My partner has never enjoyed vegetarian meals so much since I found this site. And the recipes are so easy for me to cook. Very tasty.
Susan Pridmore
I can't tell you how happy this makes me Toni!! This recipe is truly one of my favorites and I take it to pot lucks all summer long! Thank you!!!