Salad Dressings, Vinaigrettes – sure, you can buy them; Ranch, Italian, what have you. But then the total number of ingredients in your salad bowl will jump from, say, ten to well over forty and include a bunch of long, scary ones you’d never want to pronounce. Making your own salad dressing is easy and it will beat the store-bought kind. (Ranch dressing is basically mayonnaise with sour cream, a couple of herbs, garlic, salt+pepper and thinned with a bit of water or milk.) I won’t bore you with vinaigrette mixology; this is all to say that you should check for recipes for your favorite dressing before just going out and buying a bottle. You’ll be amazed at how simple it is to make at home.
The vinaigrette for one of my favorite salads has only 3 ingredients; oil, lemon juice and soy sauce.
The salad part also has 3 ingredients; baby spinach, quinoa and sesame seeds.
It’s so easy, but trust me, it’s all good.
I usually make this for lunch, but it could also go very well with any meat or fish. 
Spinach and Quinoa Salad
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A simple and delicious spinach and quinoa salad with a tangy lemon-soy vinaigrette, perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish with meat or fish.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1.25dl) sunflower oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
- 6 good handfuls of baby spinach
- 3 cups (7.5dl) cooked quinoa (about 1 cup uncooked)
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Rinse 1 cup of quinoa under cold water. Cook it in water or stock for about 15 minutes, until the grains are tender and the liquid is absorbed. Let it cool completely.
- In a large bowl, combine the baby spinach, cooled quinoa, and sesame seeds.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sunflower oil, soy sauce, and lemon juice to make the vinaigrette.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the spinach and quinoa mixture. Toss until everything is well coated.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
- For added flavor, cook the quinoa in vegetable or chicken stock instead of water.
- This salad pairs well with grilled chicken or fish.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- You can substitute sunflower oil with olive oil if preferred.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 0
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the dressing use soy sauce instead of something more typical like balsamic or Dijon?
The article specifically highlights this as a 3-ingredient vinaigrette — sunflower oil, lemon juice, and soy sauce — with soy providing the saltiness and umami in one ingredient. The author promotes it over bottled dressings for its simplicity and the way it complements both the quinoa and sesame seeds without overshadowing them.
Does the quinoa need to be completely cool before tossing?
Yes — the recipe instructs you to let the quinoa cool completely after cooking for about 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Warm quinoa would wilt the spinach prematurely and dull the fresh flavor of the lemon-soy dressing.
Can I use a different oil if sunflower oil isn’t available?
The notes say you can substitute sunflower oil with olive oil. Sunflower oil is neutral and lets the lemon and soy flavors dominate; olive oil adds its own fruitiness, which changes the dressing’s character slightly but still works well.
