This Quinoa, Egg + Arugula Bowl has some of my favorite flavors ~ radish, arugula and shallot, served over quinoa with a jammy soft-boiled egg, vegan feta cheese, and a lemony toasted cumin vinaigrette.
Quinoa, Egg + Arugula Bowl is perfect for lunch, serving for brunch, or even a meatless dinner. You can even batch cook each component on Sundays to have throughout the week to assemble à la minute.
Recipe deets…
For this recipe you’ll need a few pantry staples and a few fresh produce items.
- quinoa (I like tri-colored)
- grainy dijon mustard
- cumin seed
- two eggs
- arugula
- radish
- shallot
- lemon
- olive oil
- feta
And of course sea salt and black pepper.
Like most of my recipes, this one is flexible. i.e. No arugula? Sub watercress or baby kale. Not a fan of soft-boiled egg? Sub black or french lentils for some plant protein.
Toasted cumin vinaigrette
Like all salads, the dressing is the glue that pulls it all together. In a small bowl you just give a quick whisk to the ingredients and it’s done. Or you can puree, if preferred.
If you want to add crunch to the salad you can add nuts or seeds such as sunflower or hemp seeds, toasted walnuts, almonds or pistachios. And avocado is never a bad idea, so roll on with that if you like.
For the feta I go with vegan Just Like feta. It has a crumbly feta-like texture, and a goat cheese-y type flavor. In short, it’s an amazing vegan cheese! It actually reminds me of Bulgarian feta, if you’d ever tasted.
If you prefer traditional dairy go with a fresh block of feta that you crumble yourself, for best flavor.
Quinoa adds some plant protein to this bowl, and is one of my favorite seeds to use in cooking. P.S. – quinoa is not technically a grain, but it does cook up like one.
Below are my top tips for fluffy quinoa every time.
Quinoa cooking tips:
- rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer to remove bitter saponins (unless your brand is pre-washed)
- if you rinse first: heat a small saucepan over medium heat, add quinoa and allow water to evaporate, then add salt and spices and “toast” until spices are fragrant (cumin, oregano, etc.)
- if you don’t rinse first: heat a small saucepan over medium heat, add quinoa, then add salt and spices and “toast” until spices are fragrant (cumin, oregano, etc.)
- add about double the amount of water as quinoa, so if you are cooking 1/2 cup raw, add about 1 cup water
- cover and simmer 15 minutes, then turn off heat and let steam 5 minutes
- fluff with a fork then serve
Simmer eggs 8 minutes or less for runny yolks
If you are doing the egg in the recipe I have some tips to share. There is better than a jammy yolk, if that is your thing.
Soft-boiled egg tips:
- allow the eggs to get to room temperature before boiling
- bring a small saucepan of simmering water to a boil
- gently lower in eggs so as not to crack the shells
- lower heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes
- place eggs in an ice bath to stop the cooking
- peel eggs under running water, starting at the fat end of the egg
Cook on the lesser end of the time for a runny yolk, longer for a more set yolk. I like a “jammy” yolk so I go with 7-8 minutes.
One you have your cooked quinoa, egg, and other components made, time to assemble!
Jammy eggs are my jam!
In a large shallow bowl (or bowls if doing individual servings), place each of the ingredients in sections, then drizzle with vinaigrette.
Alternatively, you can toss all ingredients in a large bowl with desired amount of dressing. But I like the presentation of the ingredients kept separately.
Then serve right away for lunch, brunch, or even a meatless dinner.
Be sure to comment below or tag me on Instagram if you make this recipe. I’d love to see your recipe pics!
Want more quinoa recipes? Try these…
Spring Salad with Quinoa + Avocado (vegan, GF)
Antioxidant Blueberry Salad (vegan, GF)
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 8 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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- 1 tsp cumin seed
- 1 tsp grainy dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp minced shallot
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- to taste sea salt + pepper
- 4 - 6 cups baby arugula
- 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa see blog post for notes
- 2 each soft-boiled egg, halved see blog post for notes
- 1 bunch easter egg or breakfast radish radishes sliced
- 1/2 cup crumbled vegan feta see blog post for brand rec
Ingredients
Vinaigrette ingredients
Salad ingredients
|
|
- make vinaigrette: in a small skillet, dry toast cumin seed over medium heat until it smells sweet and fragrant, then add to a small bowl; add remaining vinaigrette ingredients to bowl, whisking to blend, then season to taste with salt and pepper **dressing makes ~ 1/3 cup total, so you can double if you like more**
- assemble salad: in shallow bowls, add sections of arugula, quinoa, egg, radish and feta, then drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette; salad can be enjoyed chilled or room temp
Vinaigrette makes 1/3 cup, you may want to double if you like a lot of dressing
Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com