Instant Pot Quinoa Salad

blue bowl of quinoa salad with squash and brussel sprouts

If you need a delicious, quick,  and easy recipe, this Instant Pot Quinoa Salad is going to be your new tasty best friend. So much flavor in so little time!

blue bowl of quinoa salad with squash and brussel sprouts

On this recipe we are upgrading the classic Instant Pot quinoa and taking it to a whole new level!

This simple salad is ready in less than 20 minutes of time - even though it looks and tastes like it took you a lot longer! You can make this over and over again in the summer months, and also during the winter months when you're missing your summer days.

The fresh flavor of this fresh salad will have everyone wanting to add even more salads to their daily diets.

The best part about this salad is that every bite really does give you a whole new flavor. It'll never get boring to eat this salad recipe - ever.

Why This Recipe Works 

Instant Pot Quinoa Salad may be the quickest way to cook quinoa. You can make this simple salad with a few easy-to-find and affordable ingredients in less than 20 minutes using just an instant pot. Why take longer when you don't have to?

You'll get to make a homemade dressing and add in crunchy vegetables and egg whites for added protein. Talk about a great way to kickstart the day or power up a meal!

  • This salad is perfect with burgers, sausages, or whatever you’re grilling or cooking at home
  • Pack up this salad dish for a fun picnic park
  • It's a great boost of nutrients and healthy foods!

Recipe Video

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make quinoa salad

Quinoa - Gives the salad a nutty flavor and a nice texture. 

Olive oil - Used to saute the Brussel sprouts and onion. You can also use avocado oil and coconut oil. You an also make this salad without oil at all.

Onion - I like to use a sweet onion for this recipe but any type of onion will work. 

Brussel sprouts - Using fresh Brussel sprouts for this recipe is recommended. 

Butternut squash - Adding this squash adds a natural sweetness and fun pop of color. 

Apple - Choose your favorite type of apple and add. I prefer to use ones that are sweeter in taste. 

Lemon juice - Fresh lemon juice adds a great citrus flavor. 

Pomegranate - This is like adding little bursts of sweetness to each bite! 

Paprika - You can also use smoked paprika for taste. 

Lemon zest - Lime zest could also work as well. 

Parsley - Fresh parsley is perfect for a topping. 

Feta cheese - Adding feta cheese helps to add a bit of savory to the other ingredients. 

How to make Instant Pot Quinoa Salad

Gather the necessary ingredients before getting started. Even though there are quite a few ingredients, don't skip them! All of them combined are what make this delicious dish.

Step One: Add 1¼ cups of quinoa, 1¼ cups of water, olive oil and salt into the Instant Pot.

Step Two: Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.

Step Three: When cooking time is complete, do a quick pressure release. Open the lid and fluff with a fork.

Step Four: Take out the cooked quinoa and put it in a bowl.

Step Five: Add the chopped onion and Brussels sprouts to the instant pot and saute for 7 minutes at high pressure.

Step Six: Add cooked butternut squash to the bowl of quinoa.

Step Seven: Add the cooked onion and Brussels sprouts to the bowl.

Step Eight: Add one chopped apple to the bowl.

Step Nine: Pour two tablespoons of lemon juice, ½ tablespoon of paprika, one tablespoon of lemon zest and parsley and pomegranate as a topping.

Step Ten: Add ¾ cup of feta

Stir well, and dig in and enjoy!

quinoa, cucumber, orange bell pepper and spices in a small bowl

Variations

Add different fruits - You can easily add in dried cranberries, raisings, or even fresh mandarine slices, too.

Add a light dressing - Some people enjoy a light vinaigrette dressing on top of this salad as well.

Add Southwest Salad Dressing - Homemade recipe you can make in only 5 minutes.

Helpful Tips

  • If you don't want large chunks of Brussels sprouts, use a mandolin slicer and thinly slice them instead.
  • For another crunchy texture, you can add in some raw broccoli florets as well.

How to Serve 

Instant Pot Quinoa Salad tastes excellent served warm or cold, so it's perfect to serve year-round. If you do want to serve it chilled, add it to the fridge for a few hours prior to enjoying it.

This salad is so great that it can be a main entree or a side dish as well.

I've made this a dozen times and paired it up with some of my favorite meat dishes. These include:

Need more ideas? Check out What To Serve With Quinoa Salad for 15 delicious options.

Recipe FAQs

Is Instant Pot Quinoa Salad healthy?

Yes, eating quinoa salad has great health benefits! It is rich in protein, fiber, B vitamins, and also some essential elements like iron, zinc, etc.

How long can I store this Instant Pot Quinoa Salad in the refrigerator?

You can store this healthy Instant Pot Quinoa Salad for a week in the refrigerator. Just be sure that you store it in an airtight container for the best results and to keep it fresh.

What happens if I overcook quinoa?

If you overcook quinoa, you're going to notice a big difference in the texture and you'll also lose some of the nutrients as well.

Is quinoa salad better hot or cold?

While you can eat this salad hot or cold, it's much better if you serve it cold. It allows each flavor to stand out!

More Instant Pot Salad Recipes

Once you see how you can easily use your Instant Pot to make salads, you're going to start making all of these as well!

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment below. Thanks!

bowl of quinoa salad

Instant Pot Quinoa Salad

This Instant Pot Quinoa Salad is fast and easy to make. All you need is 20 minutes!
4.58 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Instant Pot Quinoa Salad, Quinoa, quinoa salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 serving
Author: Corrie

Ingredients

  • cups quinoa
  • cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup onion chopped
  • 8 oz brussels sprouts
  • 1 lb butternut squash
  • 1 apple chopped
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • cups pomegranate
  • ½ tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • cup parsley
  • ¾ cup feta

Instructions

  • Add quinoa, water, olive oil, and salt to the Instant Pot.
  • Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
  • When cooking time is complete, do a quick pressure release.
  • Take off the lid and take out the quinoa and put it into a separate bowl.
  • Add the onion and Brussels sprouts and saute for 7 minutes.
  • Add the Brussels spouts and onion to the bowl of quinoa.
  • Add the cooked butternut squash and the cut up apple to the salad.
  • Add the paprika, pomegranate, lemon zest and carefully mix.
  • Add the feta cheese, parsley leaves, and lemon juice and serve 🙂

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcal Carbohydrates: 44g Protein: 10g Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: 3g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 17mg Sodium: 1398mg Potassium: 734mg Fiber: 7g Sugar: 8g Vitamin A: 8728IU Vitamin C: 60mg Calcium: 177mg Iron: 3mg

Video

Notes

  • Take out boiled quinoa from the Instant Pot before sauteeing onion and Brussels sprouts. 
  • If you don't want large chunks of Brussel sprouts, use a mandolin slicer and thinly slice them instead.
  • For another crunchy texture, you can add in some raw broccoli florets as well.
  • You can easily add in dried cranberries, raisins, or even fresh mandarin slices, too.
  • You can add a light vinaigrette dressing on top of this salad as well.
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