We are certain that there are plenty of you out there reading, who are vegan or dairy-free and are always in need of a Passover-friendly potluck dish that you can eat. It will take you back into the sweet memories of the Passover programs.
This Moroccan Quinoa and Carrot Salad is it. And although it is Moroccan-inspired, you will see that the flavors are setting delicately in the classic style that complements each other and it’s appealing to all types of eaters. This makes an incredible, comforting side dish that would be perfect at any meal, but especially at your Passover feast.
The cinnamon helps in providing a hint of sweet and warming flavor to the salad followed up by the complementing golden raisin. The lemon juice offsets the atmosphere of the dish with a brightness and tart pop of flavor. The crunchiness comes from the beautiful carrot that also provides vibrancy in the color. You can add fennel (optional) if you are looking for more crunch, freshness, and unique flavor.
Since the whole procedure won’t consume more than 15-20 minutes, it is also the most preferred go-to food especially when you are tired or looking to have warm friendly food during cold winter days. So even though different types of carrots are in season or storage year-round, I especially like this in autumn and winter.
With slightly spicy lemon ginger vinaigrette playing off sweet dates, chewy quinoa, and protein-rich chickpeas, it’s a solid main dish. You can also quickly pack this all up for any nearby traveling, or during work hours, or for the students they can carry with them in their tiffin boxes.
- Ingredients
- Quinoa
- Chickpeas (cooked or canned)
- Carrots
- Baby greens (spinach is pictured)
- Dates
- Sunflower seeds
- Parsley
- Garlic
For the lemon ginger vinaigrette:
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Fresh ginger
- Sea salt
- Maple syrup
- Cinnamon
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Method
Start the preparation by cooking the quinoa as per your style or for the newbies, follow the instructions laid down on the package. While it’s cooking, prep your other salad ingredients. Wash your vegetables, grate the carrots, cut the dates, and chop the herbs and garlic.
To prepare the vinaigrette, you have to carefully place all the required ingredients together in a jar or container and then shake or whisk until you see that the mixture is finely combined and emulsified. Now keep this aside but make sure to give it one more shake once you decide to add this to your salad.
Now check on the quinoa and if that is properly cooked, uncover the lid and let it rest for the cool down in a few minutes. Now add it to a large bowl along with other salad ingredients.
Put in the vinaigrette as per the required taste, stir it to give a mix, and then evenly distribute everything else. You can serve the delicacy you have prepared with utmost love and if the quantity is too much, you can go on to wait for a couple of days.
Tips and Notes
Some people notice that their quinoa cools fully before mixing. So for them, it is recommended that you mix the salad while quinoa is still warm. There are two reasons here, one that you want to wilt the greens that will make them a bit more pleasant to eat, and another one is that the grains do soak up the vinaigrette when you add it while it’s warm. However, choosing cold quinoa is more preferred in any case.
If you’re using canned chickpeas, it is advised to rinse them and then soak them in cold water for 8-10 minutes before rinsing them again.
Substitutions
Look for including baby green as well if you can find them at your local vegetable store. You can also grow spinach in abundance in your backyard since this won’t trouble you much and you can munch on those healthy greens more often than usual now with easy access to it. The same preference you can put in the herbs as well where you can choose parsley that is widely loved. Apart from that, the other options you have are cilantro or oregano as per your preference.
Author Bio:
Rihanna holds a degree in health and fitness, has worked as a health instructor for over a decade at some very prominent health related organization and basically a writer by heart.
