This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PepItUp #CollectiveBias
It has been a long, cold, snowy, icy, below zero winter for me, and I know it has for many of you out there as well. And I bet just like me, you all are ready to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring.
There are many ways I welcome spring with open arms. I spruce up my wardrobe, spend more time outside, start thinking about planting flowers, and I eat lighter meals that suit the warming temperatures.
Salads are one of my favorite go to meals. I know what you’re thinking: bor-ing! But that doesn’t have to be the case. Plus, they are an easy transition meal, as they can be warm and comforting without weighing you down.
Quinoa is a great vehicle for a salad because it is a light, healthy superfood while still being filling and satisfying. It’s also light on flavor, so it showcases other ingredients like Hormel Pepperoni.
When you think of pepperoni I bet you think of pizza, but it is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many different ways at any time of day. It adds a lot of flavor to dishes, so your taste buds can still be happy while you trade heavy comfort food for lighter springtime foods. Hormel wants us to #PepItUp when it comes to our meals!
I am so glad I added Hormel Pepperoni to my Quinoa Salad. The flavor really sang and complemented the onion, parsley, tomatoes, and vinaigrette I added to the salad. In fact, I think the flavors are slightly reminiscent of Friday night dinners of my youth with pizza and salad.
Nutty quinoa, salty pepperoni, sweet tomatoes, spicy onion, fresh parsley, and acidic vinaigrette are a match made in springtime paradise.
This is a salad you will want to make over and over again. I’m excited to make other meals with Hormel Pepperoni, but I need your ideas. Share your springtime meal ideas for Hormel Pepperoni in the comments!
Hormel Pepperoni Quinoa Salad
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- ¼ Pillow Pack Hormel Original Pepperoni
- 1 beefsteak tomato, cut into wedges
- 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
- ½ bunch fresh parsley, large stems removed, roughly torn
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once it boils, add the quinoa, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes.
- While the quinoa cooks, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, pepper, turmeric, mustard, and honey.
- Once the quinoa is cooked, pour it into your serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the quinoa and stir so it absorbs the dressing. Add, tomato, onion, and parsley. Stir to combine. Mix in some of the pepperoni and place the rest on top.
- Salad may be served warm or chilled. Store salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
I love pepperoni! Never thought to combine it with quinoa, though. Genius! What a flavorful salad — thanks.
This recipe and the cheeze it sandwich don’t seem like something you’d ever consider eating if not being paid to do so. What factors do you consider before agreeing to review a product?
Surely you don’t think I eat pie and layer cake every day either. I eat a wide variety of things which definitely include quinoa salad and junk food like grilled cheese and potato chips. I am honored to be able to work with some of the most well respected brands in America and proud of everything I post on my blog. In particular I think the grilled cheese is an awesome idea. What you see here is only a shap shot of what I eat.
Ironically, I just got 3 new bags of Quinoa today – looks like I need to make this soon!!
I love pepperoni, Quinoa not so much but in this combination it would work awesome.
Quinoa is best when paired with other flavors, but if you don’t like it, rice, millet, or even beans would work.
I’m glad to see you agree that salads don’t have to be boring! This looks so tasty!
Yes! Salads are the best. I eat one almost every night.