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THE COOKING NOTEBOOK · Vegetarian

Lemon broccoli quinoa salad: fluffy grains and browned florets

Keep this lemony grain salad bright and well textured, with tender roasted broccoli, separate quinoa grains and seeds added at serving.

THE COMPLETE FREE RECIPE

Lemon broccoli & quinoa salad

Roasted broccoli and fluffy quinoa with lemon, parsley, scallions and crunchy pumpkin seeds.

40 minEstimated total time4 servingsYield
Roasted broccoli and quinoa salad with scallions, parsley and pumpkin seeds.
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Ingredients

Volumes are approximate. For baking, use a scale; Metric keeps the specified gram weights.

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the broccoli with 0.529 oz olive oil and 0.0353 oz salt on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread in one layer and roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until the stems are tender and the floret tips are browned.
  2. Meanwhile, put the drained quinoa, 18.34 oz water and 0.0353 oz salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15–18 minutes, until tender and the water is absorbed. Remove from heat, leave covered for 5 minutes, then fluff. If tender grains remain wet, uncover briefly over low heat until excess moisture evaporates.
  3. Whisk the remaining 0.529 oz olive oil and 0.0353 oz salt with the lemon juice, zest and black pepper in a large bowl. Fold in the quinoa and roasted broccoli, scraping any measured oil from the roasting sheet into the bowl.
  4. Let the mixture stop steaming for about 5 minutes, then fold in the parsley and scallions. Divide into 4 equal portions and sprinkle the pumpkin seeds evenly over them. Serve warm, or refrigerate promptly for a chilled salad.
  5. Refrigerate in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3–4 days. Keep the seeds separate until serving if preparing ahead.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving · 1 of 4
Calories
349 kcal
Protein
13.6 g
Total carbohydrate
43.3 g
Total fat
15.4 g
Total sugars
5.9 g

Calculated from the listed ingredients and yield. Brands, draining, cooking and portioning can change the result. Not a laboratory analysis.

Calculation notes & sources

Estimated from listed ingredient amounts and identified food-composition profiles, divided by the stated number of servings. Not laboratory analysis or kitchen testing. Raw or dry profiles match ingredient masses before cooking. Moisture gain/loss does not change the stated portion count. No general cooking nutrient-retention factors are applied. All measured fats, sauces and cooking liquids are assumed consumed. Actual amounts left in pans or on utensils can reduce intake. Serving suggestions and substitutions are excluded. Calories are kcal. Protein, total carbohydrate, total fat and total sugar are grams. Total carbohydrate includes fiber; these are not net carbs. No %DV or FDA-compliance claim. Null means unavailable, never zero. Sodium and fiber are not displayed. USDA lacks total sugar for the dry grain/pseudograin or red-lentil profile. Only that field is supplemented by the identified raw-food CoFID profile; values reflect different sample sets and are estimates.

View the ingredient calculations · Source 1 · Source 2

Times and nutrition are estimates. Check product labels, quantities and safe cooking. US measures are approximate; exact Metric amounts remain available.

By Recipe Pinboard · October 8, 2026 · 4 min read

A satisfying broccoli quinoa salad needs moisture in the grains and dressing without water collecting in the bowl. This version pairs roasted florets with a straightforward lemon dressing, parsley, scallions and pumpkin seeds. The four-serving card uses 200 g dry quinoa and 500 g prepared broccoli. Begin with the oven and saucepan together; the salad comes together while both components are still pleasantly warm.

The recipe at a glance

Lemon broccoli & quinoa salad makes 4 servings, with 40 min estimated total time. View the standalone recipe page.

Cut the broccoli for a salad bowl

Make the florets small enough to pick up comfortably with a fork, around 3 cm across. Split any particularly thick branches lengthwise. Tender inner stem pieces belong in the salad too, sliced thinly so they soften alongside the florets. Large woody sections need trimming before weighing the 500 g prepared vegetable.

Dry the washed broccoli well before adding its share of oil. Spread it over a large rimmed sheet rather than piling it into a small dish. Space exposes more surface to the oven, giving the tender green centers some browned edges. Turn once during roasting and test a stem with a knife before removing the tray.

Give the quinoa a quiet simmer

Rinse the measured dry quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve, then drain it before putting it in the saucepan. The 520 g water is the measured cooking liquid. Once it boils, lower the burner enough that it simmers gently under the lid; a vigorous boil can use up the water before the centers soften.

At the end of the cooking range, look for tender grains and no puddle at the bottom. A visible curled germ is a useful appearance cue, but taste a few grains to check texture. Rest off the heat for five minutes before fluffing. If tender quinoa is still wet, briefly uncover over low heat to evaporate the excess.

Dress while warm, add herbs after the steam subsides

Whisk the lemon juice, zest, remaining oil, salt and pepper in the serving bowl before adding the cooked components. That distributes the seasoning more evenly than pouring the ingredients separately over a mound. Fold gently with a broad spoon, bringing grains from the bottom up without crushing the broccoli tops.

Use the five-minute pause before adding parsley and scallions to set out four bowls or storage containers. The mixture only needs to stop steaming vigorously; it does not need to become cold. Adding the herbs at this point keeps their texture distinct. The raw pumpkin seeds go on last, where they retain their crunch.

Fix a wet or overly sharp bowl thoughtfully

If liquid collects underneath the quinoa, address the grains before assembling the salad rather than attempting to cover the problem with more seeds. Roasted broccoli also brings moisture if it was crowded or insufficiently dried. A wide serving bowl makes folding easier and helps you notice pooling before it spreads through the finished dish.

Taste the dressing with a forkful of quinoa and broccoli, not by itself. Its lemon flavor is intended to carry through the full bowl. The zest adds fragrance alongside the juice, so extra juice is not automatically an improvement. Keep the specified amounts for the first preparation; any additional oil or seeds change the recipe's nutrition estimate.

Pack the salad with its crunchy finish separate

For lunch preparation, divide the dressed salad into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. Add the seeds just before eating. Chilling softens roasted edges somewhat, so expect a tender vegetable salad the next day rather than the same texture as a tray straight from the oven.

Keep the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Refrigerate within two hours, or one hour above 90°F (32°C), and use within three to four days. There is no need to leave a large bowl on the counter until completely cool. A chilled portion can be eaten directly from the refrigerator.

Common questions

Can I use cooked quinoa left from another meal?

Yes, if it was cooled and stored safely, but its weight will depend on how much water it absorbed. The card and nutrition calculation start from 200 g dry quinoa. Using an arbitrary scoop of cooked grains will change the yield and proportions.

Can I serve this straight from the oven?

Serve it warm after the brief pause for steam to subside and the herbs to go in. There is no mandatory chilling stage. Save the pumpkin seeds for the moment of serving whether you choose warm or chilled salad.

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