Carla Hall's Ultimate Advice For Fluffier Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is a tasty, healthy, and versatile food with many uses. Often located with rice and other grains in the grocery store, quinoa is actually an edible seed that comes in several varieties, including yellow, red, white, and black. One popular use for the seed is quinoa salad. Different varieties of quinoa salads are often available in the prepared food section of grocery stores like Whole Foods and Wegmans. You can also make your own quinoa salad by combining quinoa with raw or roasted veggies, protein, dairy, dressing, and any other toppings you want. 

Touted as a superfood, quinoa is known for its health benefits. It is a nutrient-dense food that is high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants, with one cup of cooked quinoa containing about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. It is also naturally gluten-free, making it safe for those with celiac or gluten intolerance. With all its benefits, quinoa can also be tricky to make. Timing and method are both important if you want a batch of quinoa that is fluffy and light instead of mushy and overdone. These tips from Carla Hall will give you the best textural foundation for a tasty and satisfying quinoa salad. 

Chef Carla Hall, known for competing on "Top Chef" and hosting ABC's "The Chew," has a few tips for getting fluffier quinoa: Rise it before you cook it, and drain cooked quinoa before serving it. Typically, quinoa recipes or the instructions on the back of the quinoa bag say to combine quinoa with liquid, bring to a boil, then let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Hall's tips may elevate these basic instructions so you have perfect quinoa every time. 

First, she advises rinsing the quinoa before cooking it. This removes saponin, the seed's natural coating. Without this step, your quinoa can come out with a nutty flavor instead of being a neutral salad base. We'd recommend running it under cold water until the liquid runs clear and making sure you use a fine mesh strainer since quinoa is small and could fall through the cracks of larger colanders. You should also measure quinoa first before rinsing it since wet quinoa can be messy.

Hall's next tip is to drain quinoa after it is cooked to remove any excess liquid. She recommends draining the quinoa and spreading it out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool. "It's important to drain the cooked quinoa or the finished dish will be watered-down and clumpy," Hall tells Food & Wine. 

Hall's method should keep quinoa nice and fluffy — perfect for her recipe for quinoa salad, which features fresh flavors and spring vegetables. Hall's recipe starts with another special technique for cooking quinoa, toasting the rinsed seeds in melted butter over medium heat. Then, add water and some extra flavor from white wine, tarragon, and thyme.

While the quinoa is simmering, cook lima beans and peas. You can also whip up a dressing by whisking together lemon juice, mustard, honey, olive, salt, and pepper. When the quinoa is done, drained, and cooled combine all of the ingredients and top the salad with fresh radishes.

Loaded with veggies, quinoa salads are healthy and full of fiber. They make either a great side dish or main entree topped with chicken, salmon, feta, or goat cheese. A summer quinoa salad is perfect to bring to a cookout or throw together a zesty corn and black bean quinoa salad for Taco Tuesday. Using the rinse and drain technique, your quinoa should make the perfect light and fluffy base for any salad.