Radish Quinoa Salad

1 radish quinoa

Are you looking for something quick, healthy and filling? Stop right here! You will love this baked radish-quinoa salad.

Radish reminds me of summers. My grandma used to have them in her garden and we normally ate them raw with a little bit of salt sprinkled on top of them. My grandma always insisted on keeping radish in her diet, but they really do have many health benefits. They are very good for your stomach and liver, because they remove toxins out of your blood. Radish juice, in particular, can settle your digestive and excretory system. They also cure inflammations and clean out your kidneys. They are rich in folic acid, vitamin C and anthocyanins, which treat many kinds of cancer. Studies show that they can stop cancerous cells from reproducing. The Vitamin C also protects the respiratory system from infections.

I could go on and on about the benefits of radish. Besides the medical aspects, they also boost our immunity system and are good for our skin.

I also love to eat light meals on warm days, so a salad seems like the best choice.

This baked radish-quinoa salad is simple enough to make it for lunch, but still more appealing and exciting than a simple green salad! It contains all the tasty summer flavors and a healthy portion of carbs.

This salad is not only extremely yummy – no – it also covers many nutritions. I always try to eat 8 different vegetables or fruits per day, and this salad already covers 4.

Quinoa is especially good for vegetarians. It’s carbohydrate components are so much more complex than pasta or rice, that’s why it has more proteins than other carbs!

I already mentioned the health benefits of radish… but I also want to add the dietary benefits!

Due to its high fiber, it keeps you filled for a long period of time. The fiber also promotes a healthy digestion, because it activates the production of bile. Bile is the main part of a good digestion. Furthermore, they are packed with water to keep you hydrated.

7 radish quinoa

You can add more vegetables to this salad and/or use a different dressing! The options are endless! I highly recommend this lemon dressing, though. Combined with chili, it adds such a fresh note. If you prefer a special seasoning like garlic salt, cumin…just go ahead and try how it works out. Since this is, as I like to call it, “forgiving” salad, you can go in so many different directions with it.

But here is how I like it:

Baked Radish Quinoa Salad

Course Salad
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 3

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of quinoa/ quinoa mix
  • 8 radishes
  • 6 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt&Pepper
  • 1 Lime
  • Sunflower seeds
  • 1 Scallion
  • 3 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Chili

Instructions

  1. Slice the radish and lay it on a baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. 

  2. Fry the radish in the oven for 20 minutes. Let it cool. 

  3. Wash the quinoa. Add the quinoa to boiling water and let it cook for 15-20 minutes. 

  4. Cut one scallion and one chili. Mix them with the salad. Season the salad with olive oil, juice of 1 lime, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. 

3 radish quinoa

Step 1 – Prepare the radish

Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Slice the radish and place it on a baking sheet. Sprinkle sea salt, olive oil and black pepper on the vegetable. The olive oil will give the radish a crispy flavor and high-quality sea salt will add more texture.

4 radish quinoa

Step 2 – Bake the radish

Put the radish carefully into the oven and let it bake for around 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven(carefully) and let it cool. You can also make them as a healthy alternative for chips! I love to make myself vegetable chips for a movie night.

5 radish quinoa

Step 3 – Wash and Cook the Quinoa

To remove the bitter taste of the quinoa you have to wash it thoroughly. Place a pot with 4 cups of water on the stove and wait until it boils. It takes around 15-20 minutes until it’s cooked. Quinoa mixes like this one are also great for a little bit of variety. I love adding different colors and textures to my meals.

6 radish quinoa

Step 4 – Season the salad

It’s a very simple but tasty recipe(yey!) So all you have to do is cut the scallion and chili.

Add everything into a salad bowl and season it with olive oil, white wine vinegar, the juice of 1 lime and salt & pepper. Mix thoroughly until everything is well combined. If it’s not seasoned enough you can repeat to add those ingredients until it has your preferred taste. Place it on a plate and don’t forget to stay hydrated while eating! I love to drink mint infused water to my meals. Make your food an experience – not an obligation!

2 radish quinoa

This recipe is especially useful for warm summer nights or a barbecue! It’s a very fun side dish, but you can also use it as a main one. The carbs and seeds will fill you for a couple of hours, So, no need to be hungry after a salad. This is best the day it’s made. If you let the dressing soak in too long, it will just become mushy and soft.

I also want to mention, that radish is even used for many medical treatments. Eating radish can treat Leucoderma, high blood pressure and fever. Eating radish does not impact blood glucose levels, meaning that diabetics can eat radish careless.

I really love this recipe. I hope you will make it for your next barbecue. Add some vegetables, change the dressing – it is up to you!

Do you like radish? Are you also a fan of salad during summer?  Tell us in the comments below!

Have a good one, Sarah.

sarah radish

Sarah M. is a passionate food lover, photographer, reader and writer. She was born and raised in Germany but lives in Wroclaw, Poland currently. Besides eating her way through beautiful Wroclaw, she studies medicine.

Trying new recipes is her way of relaxing after/before stressful exams. Food always had an impact in her life and growing up with different cultures(her father is Persian) made her diet multifaceted. She still remembers the first time she cooked something for her parents:

She tried to make pancakes and couldn’t reach the mixer, so she used a milk frother. And yes, it was a disaster.

Don’t worry! She got better over time.

She believes that making cupcakes can make your day.

She believes that eating salad doesn’t have to be boring.

She believes that eating healthy will keep you healthy.

During her semester breaks she always tries to travel and cook her way through a cook book. Both of those aspects motivate her to create beautiful inspiring dishes.

Europe is known for a strong Café culture. Which means sitting on a market square for hours, sipping on a cup of tea and eating a baked good.

Since she grew up with this behavior, her expertise is baking, healthy veggie dishes and Persian cuisine.