Quinoa, Pepper, and Cannellini Bean Salad

By Kath Dedon

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Too hot to cook? This Quinoa, Pepper and Cannellini Bean Salad is almost a no-cook recipe. You do have to cook the quinoa, but it has to cool down before it’s mixed with the other ingredients. You can cook the quinoa early in the day before your house heats up and assemble the salad later.

The recipe is adapted from one in Rena Patten’s Cooking with Quinoa and it is quite easy to make. It would be a great “meatless Monday” offering, but I served it last night with a grilled hanger steak. It was a fine meal for a hot summer night.

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(Adapted from Rena Patten’s Cooking with Quinoa)

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(print the recipe)

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Serves 4

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¾ cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

1½ cups water

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic

2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 (12 oz) jar of fire roasted red peppers, cut into pieces

½ cup chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley

3 tablespoons chopped chives

½ cup black olives, pitted and halved (I used kalamata.)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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1. Bring the 1½  cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the quinoa. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for about 12 minutes, until the water is absorbed and you can see the little quinoa “tails”. Remove the pan from the heat. Fluff with a fork and let it cool off.

2. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and mustard together in a small bowl. Press the clove of garlic into the dressing. Whisk again. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

3. Put the quinoa, beans, peppers, parsley, chives, and black olives in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir so it is well distributed. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.