Rhubarb, Quinoa and Spinach Salad
Growing up, my mom had a huge patch of rhubarb in the garden. There was nothing us kids enjoyed more than a stalk of rhubarb fresh out of the garden, dipped in a little sugar.
My Mom used rhubarb in a wide variety of desserts, but she never used rhubarb in any savory dishes. Definitely a missed opportunity, as rhubarb with its tartness lends itself beautifully to any number of savory dishes.
I’ve been checking out a number of savory rhubarb recipes that other bloggers are making, and it has inspired me to try some of my own.
Today I’ve swapped out pomegranate with rhubarb in one of my go to salad recipes. This simple eye-catching Rhubarb, Quinoa and Spinach Salad has an intense flavour combination of rhubarb, feta, and toasted walnuts. The addition of spinach and quinoa makes for a wonderful healthy dish, that tastes as good as it looks.
This salad serves 4 as a light summer lunch, or six as a side salad
The rhubarb is used two ways, sliced, and tossed with the other salad ingredients, and cooked until soft then pureed into a delicious dressing for the salad.
The crunchy tartness of the rhubarb contrasts wonderfully with the soft, saltiness of the feta cheese. The rhubarb vinaigrette is very similar to a raspberry vinaigrette with its combination of light tartness and sweetness. Cooking the rhubarb down brings out its natural sweetness, resulting in a softer, gentler rhubarb flavour that is enhanced with a little honey, and balsamic vinegar.
Taste your Rhubarb First!
I love to use crunchy, tart raw rhubarb in this salad, but sometimes the rhubarb is too bitter or sour and it can be overpowering. No two stalks are the same so it’s always important to taste your rhubarb first to decide if you want to use it raw, or if it needs a quick roasting in the oven with a little honey to soften the tartness.
Be careful not to cook it too long though, as you want the rhubarb to keep its shape, not turn to mush! 5 minutes in a 230° C/ 450° F oven is all it takes, and you will have tender rhubarb with all of its beautiful colour, but a softer tart flavour.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
The Salad
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup quinoa
- 2 rhubarb stalks
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves
- ¾ cups crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
The Rhubarb Vinaigrette
- 1 rhubarb stalk
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 5-6 mint leaves
Instructions
Roast the Rhubarb for the Salad (optional)
- Cut the two rhubarb stalks for the salad into ½ inch pieces on the diagonal. Taste, if you find it too bitter/sour to use raw in the salad briefly blanch as follows, otherwise set aside and proceed to the next step.Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss rhubarb with honey. Roast on upper rack until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet.
Cook the Quinoa
- Bring the water and quinoa to boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the saucepan on the heat for another 4 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and set aside uncovered to cool.
Prepare the Salad Dressing
- Cut the remaining rhubarb stalk into 1 inch pieces. Place in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer about 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally. TIP: To make a dressing with a darker pink/reddish colour, substitute pomegranate or cranberry juice for the water.
- Using a slotted spoon transfer the rhubarb to a blender, reserving the cooking liquid. Add the olive oil, honey, mint leaves and balsamic vinegar, purée until smooth. If the dressing is too thick add some of the reserved rhubarb cooking liquid to thin.Transfer to a small bowl or jar and set aside to cool. Note: the dressing can also be made with a hand-held immersion blender or small food processor.
Assemble the Salad
- Divide the spinach into 4 large servings ( or six if using as a side salad). Sprinkle the sliced rhubarb, feta, quinoa and walnuts evenly over the salads. Drizzle the rhubarb dressing over the salads and serve.