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This is one healthy school lunch idea your kids will be excited to eat! Quinoa salad is flavorful, colorful and fun! You can think of it as a lettuce-free salad packed with variety, nutrition, and flavor- let me show you how to make it.
Quinoa Lunch Salad with Veggies
Kid-favorite school lunches aren’t limited to sandwiches and snack foods; they also look a lot like this quinoa recipe. The best part- it’s an easy gluten-free lunch idea you can toss together in a few minutes with cooked quinoa, crunchy veggies, and a couple of pantry spices.
To make it even easier, you can prep this recipe ahead or use leftover cooked quinoa from dinner. It will keep for up to 3 days and provide you with a healthy, ready-to-go lunch, when you need it.
Having recipes you know your family will enjoy makes packed lunches a breeze, and if you’re looking for more, I’ve got over a hundred for you to try:
101 Packed Lunches eBook
All my best kid-friendly lunches from over a decade of creating meal plans. Add some variety to your child’s lunchbox with these epic lunches, plus receive my Pack Meals Like a Pro ebook, free with purchase!
What is in Quinoa Salad
Below is the full list of ingredients, along with options to swap out so you can make this lunch with what’s available in your fridge:
- Quinoa: a great source of protein and takes to cook.
- Bell pepper: red, orange, yellow, or green.
- Red onion: optional, but adds a nice sharp flavor.
- Curry powder: a toasty, fragrant spice. Swap it out for equal parts taco seasoning.
- Cilantro: adds a citrusy, fresh taste.
- Lime juice: brightens the salad. Could also use fresh lemon.
- Carrots: for a little crunch.
- Green peas: frozen and defrosted.
- Salt & pepper: for seasoning.
Those ingredients are for the main dish, but what about sides for this lunchbox? That’s easy! You can add a couple of hard-boiled eggs, berries, peanut butter and apples, or any of your favorite lunch snacks.
How to Pack Quinoa in a School Lunchbox
Here’s how to keep it fresh until lunchtime.
- Prep
Cook the quinoa and assemble the salad. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. - Pack
Fill a compartmentalized lunch container with a portion of the quinoa salad. Add snacks and sides to the empty compartments or a separate container to keep the quinoa fresh. - Add snacks
Round out this lunch with snacks and sides. Close the container and pack it into a lunch bag with an ice pack.
More Quinoa School Lunches
Quinoa can do a lot for your lunches, so here are a few more way to enjoy it:
Cheesy Quinoa Bites | Southwest Quinoa Salad | Mini Pizza Quinoa Bites
Lunch Box Quinoa Salad with Veggies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ small red onion, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ lime, juiced
- ¼ cup minced carrots
- ¼ cup green peas
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil, add the quinoa, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
- Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chilled.
- Remove the quinoa from the fridge and add the bell pepepr, onion curry powder, cilantro, lime juice, carrots, and peas. Season with salt and black pepper, and toss to combine.
- Pack the quinoa salad into a lunch container with additional snacks. Close the container and pack it into a lunch bag with an ice pack.
Kathleen Yoneyama says
my family liked this recipe
Cinde says
loved this recipe
Marie says
so good!
Marie says
what a fun lunch idea
Marie says
tasty lunch for kids!
Aline Grigorian says
thanks for another great lunch recipe :)
Marla says
thanks for sharing this lunch
D'ana H. says
so good!
Ludicrous Mama says
love these lunch bites
Stacy says
these were a hit!
Danica says
Liked both and shared on FB, no twitter here either!
Eowynne says
Liked, liked and shared. Love them!
zalyndia powell says
like both and shared on fb (no twitter)
LeAnn Vipperman says
Tweeted again :)
Kellie says
I like both on facebook and tweeted
Kathleen Lambert says
I Liked! I hope I win!!!
Gemma says
Already Like Lunchbox Love on Facebook
Gemma says
Already Like MOMables on Facebook
Azure says
I tweeted!
Azure says
so fun!
Azure says
I like MOMables on FB!
Laura Shepherd says
I shared on Twitter.
Laura Shepherd says
I LIKED LunchBox Love on Facebook.
Laura Shepherd says
I LIKED MOMables on Facebook.
Cara Dube says
I like both and shared on FB. No twitter here.
toni yaple says
I like both and shared on facebook but I dont have a twitter to share on! Hopefully sharing on facebook will enter me in the drawing! whether or not I’m eligable for the contest, thanks for all the info and tips!
lisa says
liked lunchbox love, too. don’t have twitter, so I can’t share that way.
lisa says
already liked momables, can’t wait to use y’all this upcoming school year!
Laura says
thank you Lisa!
Amanda M says
I already liked momables and have now liked lunchbox love. What a cute idea.
Heidi B says
I like and shared as well. These are very cute. I love sending little notes with my boys and their lunches.
LeAnn Vipperman says
“Liked” both and shared :)