Rainbow Salad Bowl (Printable Version)

A vibrant bowl featuring fresh vegetables, wholesome grains, protein-rich beans, and crunchy nuts with zesty dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
04 - 1 cup grated carrots
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
07 - 1 small cucumber, sliced

→ Beans

08 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Nuts & Seeds

10 - 1/3 cup roasted cashews or almonds, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
12 - 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

→ Dressing

13 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

# How to Make It:

01 - Prepare quinoa according to package instructions and allow to cool completely before assembly.
02 - Halve cherry tomatoes, shred purple cabbage, grate carrots, dice yellow bell pepper, and slice cucumber. Drain and rinse canned chickpeas and black beans.
03 - Place cooled quinoa in center of large salad bowl or platter. Arrange vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds in colorful sections around the grains for visual appeal.
04 - In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified and well combined.
05 - Drizzle dressing over salad just before serving. Gently toss to combine or serve dressing on side for individual portions.
06 - Top with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro before presenting to guests.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Every bite has a different texture—crunch, chew, and softness all happening at once, which honestly makes eating feel less boring.
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble in minutes, perfect for those days when cooking feels like too much.
  • It's naturally filling without feeling heavy, so you won't crash mid-afternoon the way you do with other lunches.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad hours ahead—the vegetables will release water and turn everything into soup, so timing matters more than you'd think.
  • If you're taking this somewhere and want it to travel well, pack the dressing separately and assemble it just before eating.
03 -
  • Keep your knife sharp when chopping vegetables—dull knives bruise them and release water that makes everything watery before you even dress it.
  • Taste the dressing before it touches the salad, because you can adjust it easily in a bowl but you can't take it back once it's mixed in.
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