Quinoa with Walnuts, Radishes & Spring Onions
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
A few weeks ago I discovered that for all the years I have been cooking quinoa I have been doing it wrong. The quinoa I have made, as a result, while edible and receptive to countless seasonings and additions, has never kept my attention for very long — after the odd week-long-quinoa binge, I’d forget about it for months.
But after posting the radish entry a few weeks ago, I received a comment from a dear old friend who managed several of the Philadelphia farmers’ markets while I lived there. Joanna pointed me to a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe for a quinoa salad with radishes, fava beans, avocado and a lemon vinaigrette she had recently made for some friends to rave reviews.
A quick google search led me to the recipe. While the ingredient list had me foaming at the mouth, it was the first few lines of the instructions that really struck me: Place the quinoa in a saucepan filled with plenty of boiling water and simmer for 9 minutes. Drain in a fine sieve, rinse under cold water and leave to dry.
PLENTY of boiling water. Simmer for NINE minutes. RINSE under cold water. Is this news to you, too? Why has every package of quinoa instructed me to cook it as if it were rice — 1 part grain to 2 parts water — in a covered pot? And to cook it for at least 15 minutes but often for as long as 20? And after the cooking process, to let it rest off the heat under its steaming lid for an additional 5 to 10 minutes?
Until last week, I didn’t know that when quinoa is cooked pasta-style, it doesn’t turn to mush but remains crunchy and nutty, becoming more than just a vessel for transporting other flavors. Even in a salad surrounded by toasted walnuts, spring onions, slivered radishes, and steamed edamame, it offers texture and flavor of its own. A simple dressing of olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice with just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes works best, both complementing quinoa’s flavors while not oversaturating its delicate texture. And while I adore avocados and cheese of all kinds, I love a quinoa salad that is crunchy throughout. In the upcoming months, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and diced bell peppers will nicely replace the spring onions and edamame used here, and this fall, pomegranate seeds and green olives — with perhaps some flavors from another favorite salad — will be welcomed replacements as well.
My 10-day quinoa binge is going strong. It’s looking promising, my friends — quinoa, I believe, is here to stay.
A Few Notes on Quinoa
• Some say to rinse before cooking; others don’t. I rinse. Unless you like to toast your quinoa before you cook it (see below) there’s no reason not to rinse it, and rinsing quinoa removes a bitter coating that can affect the flavor of the cooked quinoa.
• Some say to toast quinoa before cooking; others don’t. If you toast quinoa, you don’t want to rinse it first — it will stick to your pan. I’ve toasted quinoa a few times and haven’t noticed a huge difference in flavor, so I skip toasting, mostly out of laziness, but feel free to give it a try.
• Quinoa is actually an edible seed related to beets, spinach and tumbleweeds and has been in cultivation for over 4,000 years. It is high in protein, fiber, calcium and several other minerals.
• There has been some discussion in the news about the increase in worldwide demand for quinoa causing harm to quinoa producers. Most recently, a journalist from The Guardian wrote “that poorer people in Peru and Bolivia, for whom [quinoa] was once a nourishing staple food, can no longer afford to eat it.” Statements such as these not only confuse consumers but also can do more harm to quinoa producers than good. I recommend reading this Slate article, It’s OK to Eat Quinoa, if you find yourself confused as well and would like to learn more about this complicated issue. For me, there is no question that organizations such as Fair Trade and companies such as Alter Eco are striving to improve the quality of life of their quinoa producers. You can read more about the efforts and changes Alter Eco has made and continues to make to improve the lives of their partners here.
Quinoa with Walnuts, Radishes & Spring Onions
Description
Inspired by a salad from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty.
The original recipe calls for fava beans, garlic, purple radish cress, cumin, and avocado. All of these sound like wonderful additions/flavors, so feel free to improvise with herbs you have on hand — basil, parsley, mint, chives, etc — and other fruits/veggies/nuts, etc.
As I noted above, as much as I adore avocados, I like my additions to quinoa salads to be on the crunchy side, which is why I have chosen the ingredients below, but again, feel free to add what you like — I don’t know of anyone who wouldn’t welcome a few slices of avocado in the mix.
Finally, an essential piece of equipment for cooking quinoa is a fine-meshed sieve. You need this piece of gear for both rinsing the quinoa before you cook it, and for draining the quinoa after you cook it.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup frozen edamame (or fresh fava beans if you can find them)
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted*, and chopped
- 1 small red onion, minced to yield 1/4 to 1/2 cup
- 4 to 5 scallions or spring onions, rinsed, trimmed and finely sliced, white and most of the greens
- 8 to 10 radishes
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 to 2 lemons
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* Toast walnuts at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes — watch closely to prevent burning. Place the toasted walnuts in a tea towel and rub together to remove papery skin. Transfer walnuts to a sieve and shake again to remove any additional skin. I know this is fussy, but it makes a difference. I have more detailed instructions here.
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine-meshed sieve and rinse under cold water. When the water comes to a boil, add the quinoa and simmer for 9 minutes. Drain in a fine-meshed sieve and run under cold water until cool. Set aside to dry.
- Meanwhile, cook the edamame. This is what I did this time, but feel free to use your own method: Bring a tea kettle of water to a boil. Place edamame in a bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water until cool. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, slice up your radishes: If you have a mandoline, carefully slice each radish into thin disks. Note: if you keep the stem intact, you have a little handle to grab onto while you run the radishes down the mandoline’s plane — find a more detailed visual explanation here. Alternatively, thinly slice the radishes with a knife. Stack the circles on top of each other and slice straight down to get mini matchsticks.
- Place the drained and dried quinoa into a large mixing bowl. Season all over with salt and pepper to taste. Crush some red pepper flakes over top if you are using. Add the edamame, walnuts, red onion, scallions, radishes, olive oil and the juice of one lemon to the bowl. Toss and taste. Adjust seasoning as necessary. I added the juice of another lemon, but my lemons were on the small side. I also added more crushed red pepper flakes — I think a bit of heat is really nice in this salad.
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55 Comments on “Quinoa with Walnuts, Radishes & Spring Onions”
Great post!! Its amazing there are still so many people that don’t know about quinoa. We actually had to beg the store manager in our local store to start carrying it.. Luckily he did.
We will admit, the first time we used it, it was a little intimidating and nerve-wrekcing waiting for the little tails to come out.. lol Now we constantly use it.. Will be trying the carrot muffins!!!
Mr & Mrs. P — I know, why does it take so long for places to get on board sometimes? I love the muffins. I have been thinking about trying them with uncooked quinoa. I know that sounds odd, but there was a bakery in philadelphia that served millet muffins, and the uncooked millet offered the nicest crunch. I feel the quinoa might do the same…but don’t quote me. I’ll give that one a go before I suggest anyone else tries it first 🙂
This looks amazing! I had no idea the correct way to cook quinoa! Cooking the way I always did (pasta like) it always, without fail, turned out sub-par. I’m definitely going to be trying this recipe.
Lisa — Definitely try this cooking method and then say goodbye to water-logged quinoa forever! It really makes a difference.
Those muffins look amazing! I just posted some sweet potato bread and am all about carrot cake, carrot this and that, orange root veggies…mmm, so good!
And the news about how to cook quinoa…news to me! I did it the 15 minute way like you described and never rinsed under cold water!
Averie — The muffins are so good — so many wonderful textures and flavors. I think you will like them!
Thank you. This cooking method is a revelation! Made a variation tonight with what I had on hand, and it was the best quinoa I’ve had (at home). What a great addition to the weeknight rotation–with multiple possibilities!
Wendy — wonderful to hear this! I know, I think the possibilities with this salad are endless. It tastes really good the next day, too. I’m going to try to start making myself a batch on the weekend to eat throughout the week… how nice would that be? Wishful thinking 🙂
Sounds yummy! And who would have known about the cooking style?!
I would also like to point out that quinoa is also grown in Canada, where I am from (and perhaps the US?). It is a good idea to try to find locally grown quinoa to stay true to the movement and help keep the South American staple stay on their plates! 🙂
Yotam Ottolenghi’s instructions for quinoa should be printed on every package! It changed how I cooked them too. For all its nutritional value, it is hard to get something memorable as a meal. Actually his recipes are generally incredible. Wish his other books were in print here. Definitely go eat at one of his shops if you are in London, or grab the makings of a picnic…that is if it is not raining!
Nancy — I know, I think the quinoa advertising board needs to rethink it’s marketing … proper instructions might make for a more loyal following. I wish I could make a trip to London! It is such a fun city. And I have only heard rave reviews about Ottolenghi’s restaurants.
Am doing a jig over here! Thanks!
You are right–the method for cooking quinoa here is genius! I have always been a little lukewarm about quinoa, pretending to like it more than I really did, but this recipe and your method of cooking quinoa has transformed my attitude. I followed the recipe exactly–you are always so great about being specific!–except that for some reason there were no radishes in the store, so I used organic cucumbers as you suggested. They added a good crunch. The other thing I loved is that your salad is very satisfying without being heavy, and it is so healthy I felt virtuous. The next time I struggle to think of what to make a vegan friend, this will be it, but in the meantime, this salad will be a new staple. Oh, and I think taking the skins off the walnuts is worth the time. It really takes about 20 seconds and makes a noticeable difference. So pretty, too.
Liz — wonderful to hear this! I know, the quinoa-cooking method is still blowing my mind a little bit. I can’t believe I didn’t try a different cooking method sooner. And, I’m glad you approve of the walnut-skin removal. I can’t not do this anymore. It really makes a difference to me.
P.S. to Averie: It’s nine minutes! And it works.
OMG! My new favorite salad is this one! I loved every bit of it and my husband put calamata olives in it. I used vinegar instead of lemon juice because I didn’t have lemons but this is exceptional. I know lots of “vegans” that will also enjoy this recipe.
I will make this next weekend as well and try some other fun ingredients like fresh cilantro, garbanzos, jalapenia, etc.
Bye the way, we had this as our main dish 🙂
Nancy — wonderful to hear this! I love the idea of olives. I want to make another variation soon and have been thinking olives would be really nice. I also love vinegar in these salads — I use it with my farro salads all the time. I’m loving all of your ideas — cilantro and jalapeños sound so perfect all of a sudden…it finally feels like spring here, summer actually.
Wow…that was super useful! Seems I’ve been cooking quinoa incorrectly as well! 🙂 Thank you so much for the great tip on making great quinoa! These recipes are amazing as well. Always looking for great new recipes with Quinoa.
Michelle — I think most of us have:)! I have never seen instructions like Ottolenghi’s. Wish I discovered them earlier.
Ali! I have so much to catch up on, oh my goodness! Vegetables are just entering my diet again (ha!) and I’ve been trying to think of healthy salads that I can make for lunch. This looks perfect! And I had nooooo idea that quinoa should be cooked like pasta, I was cooking it like couscous. Looking forward to trying this…and reading the rest of your posts!!
Darcy — the method is truly a revelation. I think you will approve.
I have to admit I was one of the readers being “shocked” by the Guardian article, because I felt with Quinoa I was eating something so good and healthy and then it seemed that I didn’t even think about the impact of my consumption. And even though I am glad to now have read the counter statement you posted the link to, to me the Guardian article was a necessary wake up call. I am glad I read it because now I am struggling to make my own opinion, that is based on more than one or two articles.
I didn’t decide to not eat Quinoa anymore, but to think about what I am eating even more and not follow every trend. Because there is not only the “meat/no meat” decision, the “organic/not organic”, there is also the things behind: where does the stuff come from, how many thousands of miles has it been transported, who am I supporting when I eat it and how are these people treated.
Because many things come from far away we have to rely on articles and people who know about the local situation, and there are always different opinions. The article you linked gives clear-signals for many of the concerns raised by The Guardian, but not all of them, what about environmental degradation and what about powerful people with money who suppress little farmers from their land.. It is unfortunate that those things happen when money is involved, some people just can’t get enough and don’t care for lives and the future of people and nature.
I was aware of “eat local”, but somehow I didn’t put it together with some products like Quinoa. It seemed so healthy and great and everything, that I didn’t even think about it.
Now I am even more trying to not let my food-awareness go to sleep again. I will eat more potatoes because they come from here, I will eat even more veggies that are grown where I live. I will still eat rice and quinoa and I will always buy them Fair Trade, but I will still be aware that -for me- the Fair Trade is not a whitewash when it comes to CO2 emissions etc.
Johanna — Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I, too, was shocked by the Guardian article. The ethics surrounding the consumption of animal products are more obvious and discussed more openly. With grains and vegetables, you would think you would be safe, but these days the conscientious consumer is worried about food miles and monocultures and organic versus inorganic versus local, in addition to the welfare of the people growing the food.
The Guardian article did make me similarly wonder: Is the area that once was producing a diversity of crops on its way to becoming a monoculture producer? And, is it true that poorer people in Peru and Bolivia can no longer afford to eat quinoa?
I wish I had more time to research these issues, but it does sound (from the Slate article) as though the area that is producing most of the world’s quinoa is not an area suitable for producing monocultures:
“Most of the world’s quinoa is grown on the altiplano, a vast, cold, windswept, and barren 14,000-foot Andean plateau spanning parts of Peru and Bolivia. Quinoa is one of the few things that grow there, and its high price means more economic opportunities for the farmers in one of the poorest parts of South America.”
Of course, there are better farming methods than others (diversified or not), and it does sound as though some quinoa producing companies are not making the environment a prime concern, which is definitely something consumers should think about and one reason to buy Fair Trade quinoa, which demands environmentally sound practices.
As for the second question — are poorer people no longer able to afford to eat it? — if there is any truth to it, which I am sure there is, that is very unsettling. For whatever reason, I trust Edouard Rollet — I believe the families he is working with are still able to eat quinoa and that their lives have improved by their partnership with Alter Eco. And I believe the farming practices he requires of his growers is environmentally responsible, which is why I will continue to buy Fair Trade and/or Alter Eco quinoa. I know the Fair Trade label, like the organic label, can get a bad rap because there might be companies or producers that can’t afford the costs associated with being considered Fair Trade but who are employing “fair trade” practices. So in some ways purchasing Fair Trade goods could perhaps unjustly harm other farmers, but I can’t help but rationalize my purchases with the belief that this is a process, and the more I support these Fair Trade companies, the more they will be able to partner with other farmers and similarly improve their quality of lives.
Again, I wish I could research this further and find a few unbiased sources, but these are my thoughts at the moment. And I think your course of action — to buy mostly local produce — is the ideal, and I am so happy you have pointed out that Fair Trade is not an ideal solution, but that in the case of certain productions it is a good option at the moment.
Thank you again for your thoughtful comment!
how many people will this salad serve. making it tomorrow. sounds yummy
Joyce — this will serve 4 to 6 as a side dish. My husband and I eat over the course of two meals. If you have a few side dishes, I would say it feeds 4 to 6 comfortably.
Totally changed how I cook quinoa, too! Loved your post and just made a similar take last night after reading your inspiration. It was deelish! Thanks!
Natasha — I’m so happy to hear this! I know, I am so happy to have learned this method. My quinoa binge is still going strong.
OK, I just tried the method you recommend — is it supposed to be a bit crunchy? I just rinsed it in cold water and it’s drying now, but I couldn’t help taking a little taste.
Ann — yes, it is on the crunchy side, but it shouldn’t be too crunchy. As it cools it, and when it is dressed, it softens up a bit.
The picture of the carrot and quinoa muffins look nothing like the ones from The Garden of Eden blog. I want muffins that look the ones shown here! Did you make some changes?
Wendy, hi! I didn’t make any changes. The only thing reason these probably look different is because I used the rainbow quinoa when I was photographing the process. But, as I noted, I’ve made them a couple of times, and I do prefer how they taste with the white quinoa, and they definitely look different with the white quinoa too — more like the Garden of Eden’s muffins. Hope that helps!
One more variation on this: My friend used broccoli slaw instead of radishes…delish!
Nancy — yum! Love that idea. Another nice way to add crunch!
Quinoa is almost as tasty as Otto himself! Plenty of his recipes free online, and highly recommend the Jerusalem book. Nom.
Julia — I love it. I really need to get Jerusalem. I’ve heard too many good things. Thanks.
I’m so glad you addressed the issue of fair trade quiona. I just recently learned about the negative side of the demand of quiona, so I was desperately hoping that if there wasn’t any fair trade practices that there would be soon. What’s your take on soy beans and soy products though? Next to cattle farms, soy farms are the second leading cause to the deforestation of the Amazon. Or so I’ve read. 🙂
Audrey — that’s crazy! It’s always eye opening to learn of the harms caused by seemingly benign agricultural crops. I wish I knew more on the subject of soy. If I learn of anything I will be sure to be in touch…things are a little hectic around here with the new baby. Thanks for alerting my attention to the topic, however, and again, I will be in touch once I read some things.
Absolutely lovely! Used raw sugar snaps in place of edamame, and blood orange olive oil, but otherwise followed recipe. I too recommend “Jerusalem”! I just love how fresh his flavor profiles are. I hadn’t ever cooked quinoa this way…though I’m not quite sure why. I often cook rice and barley this way… Thanks for posting this.
Dee G — So happy to hear this! Love the idea of sugar snaps – so summery! — and the blood orange olive oil sounds divine. I am actually about to post another quinoa salad recipe but with a ginger-lime dressing. I think I might have to add sugar snaps! You will see it posted soon. Thanks for writing in!
Dear Alexandra,
I know this post was ages ago now, but I’m just getting to it! Part of my “it’s going to be spring whether the weather agrees or not” campaign. And I’m so excited to find a way to cook quinoa that doesn’t result in mush. I have followed package and other recipe directions – and mush is always the result. I’ve wondered just what I’ve been doing wrong when other people seem to be able to cook it!! So now, I’m wondering what if I wanted hot quinoa for something. Do I reheat? (And it is ok if not all the “tails” have appeared?)
Thanks!!!!
Hi Rose! It was a revelation cooking quinoa the in the pasta-style — not mushy at all! What sort of hot quinoa dish are you thinking? I would maybe suggest cooking the quinoa for perhaps a minute less than suggested (maybe 8 minutes total) and just skipping the rinsing under cold water step — this will allow the quinoa to keep cooking after it is drained, but will hopefully prevent it from getting mushy. And I never pay attention to the tails — I just cook it for 9 minutes always. Good luck with it! Let me know if there is anything else!
Just like rice, I have always toasted the quinoa before cooking then prepare it as you would rice. It always has a good nutty flavor and not mushy.
I am curious about this method so I will give it a try .
I will try this, too, Lisa! Love the idea of toasting the grains for more flavor.
Hi Alexandra,
Am I missing a print option? The only place I saw to enable printing was when I arrow on the “What’s this?” that’s above your Facebook, Twitter, etc. line of buttons. When I click on it, it goes straight to the print box, but I always like to check the print preview first and when I did, it was over 30 pages.
I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. I appreciate the recipes and your beautiful site.
No, Charlene, you aren’t missing anything! The print function plugin I was using was acting so buggy so I disabled it. I’m so frustrated by wordpress recently. What do you use to power your site? I am looking into other options.
Hi Alexandra,
I don’t have a site so can’t help you with a print plugin suggestion. Sorry. I made the quinoa salad today and loved it! I had a huge juicy lemon and used all the juice plus the zest plus I added a generous amount of chopped parsley that I picked from the garden today. Will definitely make again with the additions of parsley and zest. I wish I had thought to add jalapenos like someone above did. I agree the lemon and the heat are very important in this. Thanks again!
So happy to hear this Charlene! Parsley from the garden sounds amazing. So glad you like this one!
I have just cooked quinoa as you have specified. Wow what are difference. This is how I thought it should have been. Thank you for the great tip.
Wonderful to hear this, Erin! It made all the difference in the world to me, too.
I tried your 9 min method for cooking quinoa today. What a revaluation. My quinoa was perfect! I am so happy that I want to shout from the roof top and tell everyone I know. Thank you so much for sharing how to cook quinoa!!!
So wonderful to hear this, Ruth! It was revelation for me as well!
Alexandra, I can’t access the Garden of Eden blog for the Carrot Quinoa Muffins, which I am quite intrigued by (site not safe). Could you ppst that recipe or is there access anywhere else? I’d like to try it. BTW, I love the recipes you post, and I find myself cooking them again and again. I am a private chef and work in a culinary school (NGI in New York), so I have access to more recipes than I can deal with, but your site is where I find myself going back for inspiration. Keep it coming, great job!
Hi Susanna! Thanks so much for your nice comment. So awesome that you both teach and private chef — I would love to do both some day, maybe when my little ones get into school full time. Anyway, your kind words mean a lot — thank you!
Here is the recipe:
Carrot & Quinoa Muffins
Yield = 16 muffins
Source: The Garden of Eden
Darcy has made these with millet in place of quinoa, which gave a nice crunch. Use 1 cup of uncooked millet for the 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (all-purpose flour works well, too)
3/4 cup almond flour (again, all-purpose flour works well, too, but I like mixing in almond flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (substitute 1/2 cup unsalted butter if you prefer)
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (I’ve made these with regular yogurt, too)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup loosely-packed, grated carrots
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped (optional – I usually omit these)
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease or line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.|
2. In a large bowl, mix together quinoa, sugar, flours, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut oil (allow to cool), Greek yogurt, vanilla, and eggs. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing well. Gently fold in the carrots and walnuts until just mixed.
3. Divide batter evenly such that none of the muffin tins is filled more than 3/4 full. For me, this yielded 16 muffins. Transfer the muffins to the oven. Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
A great summer salad! Wonderful flavors 😋
Great to hear, Helen! Thanks for writing 🙂