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overhead view of copycat costco quinoa salad.

Easy Costco Quinoa Salad Copycat, Meal Prep Recipe

Mallory
This copycat recipe for the Costco Quinoa Salad is perfect to meal prep for a healthy lunch! It has tons of flavor with nutty quinoa, brown lentils, crunchy vegetables including red bell peppers and cucumber, kale, and fresh herbs! All topped with a drinkable lemon vinaigrette. 
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 200 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup quinoa, dry (makes ~ 3 cups cooked)
  • 1 (15 oz) can brown lentils (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • ½ an English cucumber, diced (scoop seeds out before cutting)
  • 2 cups kale, chopped
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped (measure before chopping)
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (measure before chopping)
  • ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Dressing Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. This is optional, but I add half a teaspoon of salt to the water for more flavor. Add the quinoa, water, and salt to a saucepan and bring everything to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes with the lid on. Fluff with a fork.
  • Finely chop the kale and fresh herbs. Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Chop the red bell pepper and English cucumber into small pieces. I gently cut or scoop out some of the cucumber seeds to get rid of some of the moisture. Drain and rinse the lentils.
  • Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl or mason jar. Whisk it or shake it until everything is emulsified. 
  • To assemble, add the cooled quinoa to a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoon of the dressing and mix it to combine. Then add the remaining ingredients and rest of the dressing. Give everything a toss.  
  • Hint: let the quinoa cool before combining everything. This will help the quinoa absorb the flavors and also prevent the salad from being soggy! 

Video

Notes

Expert Tips
  • I like to chop everything into small pieces for this recipe so I get a little bit of everything in each bite.
  • Dressing the salad in stages by adding a little bit of the dressing to the quinoa first helps make it more flavorful.
  • Scoop out some of the cucumber seeds before chopping the cucumber to get rid of some of the moisture. 
  • Give it a taste once it's done and add more lemon juice or salt as needed. 
Meal Prep & Storage
  • Meal Prep - cook the quinoa, chop the vegetables, and make the dressing ahead of time. That way, everything will be ready to go when you want to assemble the salad! 
  • Storage - store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. You can add the dressing in advance because the quinoa and lentils will continue to absorb the flavors over time. Ideally, add most of the dressing when making the salad and save a little bit to add right before eating to keep it fresh. 
Dietitian Tip
My tip for making sure you get protein in a plant-based meal is to use a few different ingredients that contain protein. Here, we use quinoa, lentils, kale, and feta, all of which contribute to the protein in this salad. But it's important to remember that protein isn't the only important nutrient your body needs! This quinoa salad also provides vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, healthy fatty acids, and carbohydrates including fiber. 
For more nutrition information and tips, visit mallorythedietitian.com. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 😊 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupCalories: 200kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 8gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 270mgFiber: 7gSugar: 3g
Keyword 30 minutes or less, gluten free, plant-based
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