Copycat Costco Quinoa Salad

This Copycat Costco Salad takes about 20 minutes to make and is large enough for several meals. The dressing is a little tangy with just the right amount of sweetness. This zesty quinoa salad makes a great side year-round!

I first created this Costco Quinoa Salad copycat recipe because, well, that quinoa salad recipe is amazing! This quinoa salad with lentils is a part of my summer meal preps because it’s filling and tasty with a tangy vinaigrette dressing with the right amount of sweetness to balance out the acidity.

Plus, the quinoa salad recipe takes almost no time to make! I love that it makes enough for side dishes or a base for a lunch salad all week!

I like to make this side dish recipe with tri-color quinoa for no other reason than it looks pretty!  What I love about this Costco quinoa salad recipe is that I almost always have all the ingredients in my house at any given time.  

This Easy Quinoa Salad takes about 20 minutes total to make and you can make it into a large salad easy but just doubling the recipe. It is a perfect recipe to make for summer parties or potlucks all year long!

What Makes This Costco Quinoa Salad Recipe So Great?

• Quick and Easy: This salad comes together in just 20 minutes, making it a perfect choice for a fast and filling side dish or meal.
• Flavorful Dressing: The tangy white wine vinegar and honey dressing provides a delightful balance of acidity and sweetness to complement the other ingredients.
• Versatile and Customizable: The basic recipe can be easily adjusted to suit your tastes, with options to add more vegetables, meat, or switch up the herbs and seasonings.
• Makes Plenty: This salad recipe yields a large portion, making it ideal for meal prepping, potlucks, or feeding a crowd.

Ingredients Needed for Costco Quinoa Salad

• Quinoa – Rinsing the quinoa under cold water for 1-2 minutes helps remove any bitterness.
• Lentils – Canned lentils make this a quick and easy salad, but you can also use cooked dried lentils.
• Bell Peppers – Using a mix of red and yellow bells adds bright color and flavor.
• Cucumber – Leave the peel on for extra texture.
• Red Onion – Finely chopped to provide a subtle onion flavor throughout.
• White Wine Vinegar – Provides the tangy base for the dressing.
• Olive Oil – Forms the backbone of the simple vinaigrette.
• Honey – Balances the acidity of the vinegar with a touch of sweetness.
• Salt and Pepper – Season to taste.

See the recipe card below for exact quantities.

How to Make Zesty Costco Quinoa Salad

1. Rinse 1 cup of quinoa under cold running water for a minute or two to remove the bitter taste quinoa can have.
2. Add the rinsed cup of quinoa to 2 cups of boiling water.  Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

1. Once quinoa is done cooking and all water is absorbed fluff up the quinoa with a fork and put it into a medium bowl. Add the chopped bell peppers, lentils, cucumbers and onions. 
2. Costco’s version also has parsley but I am not a huge fan so I left it out.  If you like it chop about 1/2 cup of fresh parsley and add to the bowl. 
3. In a small bowl add the oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
4. Pour dressing over quinoa and lentil salad mixture and toss until well mixed. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Tips

Here are some tips I’ve learned from making this quinoa salad recipe:

• Let it sit. I actually find that the longer this salad sits the better it tastes. Time in the fridge gives the quinoa a chance to absorb the flavors of the zesty dressing, peppers and onions.
• Add add chicken or beef. For those who like to prep their meals on the weekends, I highly recommend making ahead for the week. Add some chicken, chickpeas, or beans and this makes a great lunch!
• Switch out the sweetener. Substitute the honey for maple syrup or your favorite sweetener. The honey just takes a bit of the bite out of the vinegar so the type of sweetener is really not that important to the flavor.

Storage

Refrigerate: This copycat Costco quinoa salad will keep fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavors actually continue to develop and meld together the longer it sits.

Do Not Freeze: While the quinoa salad stores well in the fridge, I would not recommend freezing it. The delicate textures of the quinoa, vegetables, and dressing are likely to become compromised when thawed. For best quality and texture, enjoy this salad within 5 days of making it.

More delicious salad recipes

• Easy Orzo Salad With Pesto and Artichoke Hearts
• Carrot Raisin Salad
• Beet and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese
• Quick & Easy Mexican Bean Salad
• Potato Salad With Spring Onion