This Moroccan Quinoa Lentil Salad is the ideal lunch to take with you to work. It’s light, yet filling to get you through the rest of the day. Quinoa and lentils are high in protein which keeps you going for longer.
This yummy salad comes with a Moroccan spiced vinaigrette! Keep reading below the recipe for more options and alternatives!
Make this Moroccan Salad yours!
Don’t have all the spices for the vinaigrette? Don’t like quinoa, lentils or any of the veggies? No problemo! Here are my favourite alternatives and ideas so you can make this Moroccan Quinoa Lentil Salad just how you like it best!
Quinoa: Quinoa is gluten-free which is ideal for those of us who have an intolerance. If you can eat gluten though, you could also try couscous or bulgur! However, quinoa is high in protein and might be a bit more filling than couscous.
Lentils: Chickpeas are an excellent alternative because they are high in protein as well. But if you don’t like any legumes, just leave them out and add more quinoa and vegetables.
Vegetables: You can use whatever you like, really! Avocado, red onion, cooked zucchini/courgette or egg plant/aubergine, mushrooms, beetroot… There’s no limit.
Lettuce: Use the lettuce you love! I find a good mix of spicy, slightly peppery, and mild lettuce is perfect. For my salad, I picked several different salad greens from our veggie garden (I know, right? Lucky me!). Rocket, arugula, cos, romaine, baby spinach, or simply mesclun are my favourites!
Spices: Now, you might not have all those spices in your pantry. So what can you do? The vinaigrette will already taste great with just cinnamon, cumin and paprika. Get creative though, and simply leave out the ones you don’t have, replace with something else – or don’t use spices at all. It won’t be much of a Moroccan Salad anymore, but it’ll taste good anyway, I’m sure :).
Extras: I love toasted seeds in this salad because it adds some crunch and flavour. Nuts like almonds, cashews or pistachios are great, too. If you like it sweet, maybe add some chopped dried fruit like dates, apricots or sultanas/raisins!
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📖 Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 120g / ⅔ cup dried quinoa or 240g/2cups cooked
- 250ml / 1 cup water if using dried quinoa
- 1 400g tin / 13.5oz can lentils
- 1 carrot
- ½ cucumber
- 1 tomato
- 1 small red capsicum/bell pepper
- 1 shallot/spring onion
- 2-3 handfuls lettuce rocket, cos, mesclun, etc.
- 2 tablespoon seeds (pumpkin, sunflower...) toasted, if you like
- coriander or parsley to serve optional
For the Vinaigrette
- 60ml / 3 tbsp olive oil
- 80ml / ⅓ cup water plus more, if needed
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Tahini
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (if you like it spicy)
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Bring 250ml/1 cup water to boil, then add quinoa. Once it boils again, immediately put on the lid and turn the heat down to its lowest setting. Cook quinoa for 15 minutes. Remove from stove and let stand for 5 minutes. I usually do this step the day before so the quinoa is already cold and ready to go.
- While the quinoa cools down, make the vinaigrette. Combine all ingredients in a bottle or a jar and give it a good shake. You might need to add a bit more water, if it appears to thick! Taste and adjust to your liking (more water, salt, maybe sugar?, spices…)
- Prepare your salad: Drain and rinse lentils. Dice or slice cucumber, capsicum, shallot and tomato. Peel carrot and grate (as fine as you want). Break lettuce into small, bite-size pieces. Chop coriander or parsley.
- In a large bowl, combine lentils, vegetables, lettuce, seeds (if using) and cooked (and cooled) quinoa.
- Pour vinaigrette over the salad and serve with coriander or parsley.
Notes
- If you want to take this salad for lunch, keep the ingredients separately. I normally keep the lentils and quinoa in one container, veggies in another and leave the vinaigrette in the jar, only pouring it over when I’m about to eat.
- Also, it might be an idea to add your lettuce in the morning, just before you leave, so it doesn’t get all soggy from the other vegetables.
