Caprese quinoa salad takes everything you love about the classic — juicy tomatoes, torn basil, creamy mozzarella, balsamic — and turns it into an actual meal. The quinoa soaks up the dressing and makes the whole thing sturdy enough for lunchboxes.
Dreaming of a sun-drenched Italian holiday? While we can’t book your flight, we can bring the taste of the Isle of Capri right to your kitchen! This vibrant Caprese Quinoa Salad is the next best thing. It combines the classic Italian trio of juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, and creamy mozzarella with the wholesome goodness of quinoa. It’s a light, refreshing, and satisfying meal that will leave you feeling like you’ve just spent a day on the Mediterranean coast. Simple, elegant, and oh-so-delicious!
Ingredients
• PREP: 10 minutes | COOK: 10-15 minutes | YIELD: 5 x 1-cup servings
• ½ cup / 120 ml (4.1 fl oz) uncooked quinoa
• 1½ cups / 360 ml (12.2 fl oz) mixed cherry and mini pear tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup / 120 ml (4.1 fl oz) thinly sliced basil
• 1 cup / 240 ml fresh mozzarella balls, halved
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml minced red onion or shallot
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ tsp / 1.25 ml (0 fl oz) sea salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool slightly.
2. While the quinoa cooks, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the minced red onion, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.
3. To the bowl with the quinoa, add the halved tomatoes, sliced basil, and halved mozzarella balls.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine everything. Serve immediately at room temperature for the best flavor.
Nutritional Information
• Per 1-cup serving
• Calories: 177
• Protein: 10 g
• Carbs: 15 g
• Total Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Sodium: 56 mg
• Cholesterol: 14 mg
Pro Tips
• Pro-Tips
• For the best texture, use fresh ciliegine (cherry-sized) mozzarella balls. If you can’t find them, bocconcini (golf-ball-sized) cut into quarters is a great substitute.
• To enhance the nutty flavor of the quinoa, toast it in a dry saucepan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes before adding water and cooking.
• For a touch of sweetness and a beautiful glaze, use a quality balsamic glaze drizzled over the top just before serving instead of mixing the vinegar into the dressing.
• Make it ahead! You can prepare the quinoa and the dressing separately up to 2 days in advance. Combine with the fresh just before you’re ready to serve to prevent the basil from wilting.
FAQ
Q: Can I make this Caprese Quinoa Salad vegan
A: Absolutely! To make this salad vegan, simply substitute the fresh mozzarella with a high-quality plant-based mozzarella alternative. For an extra protein and texture boost, you could also add 1/2 cup (480 ml) of cooked chickpeas or white beans.
Q: How can I add more plant-based protein to this salad
A: This salad already provides a good amount of protein from the quinoa and mozzarella. To increase the plant-based protein content, consider adding 1/2 cup (480 ml) of cooked chickpeas, edamame, or a sprinkle of toasted hemp seeds.
Q: Is this vegetarian quinoa salad good for meal prep
A: Yes, it’s excellent for meal prep. For the best results, store the cooked quinoa, the dressing, and the fresh ingredients (tomatoes, mozzarella, basil) in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Combine everything just before serving to keep the basil fresh and the salad from becoming soggy.
Q: Is this Caprese Quinoa Salad recipe gluten-free
A: Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free. Quinoa is a gluten-free seed, and all other ingredients are also typically free from gluten. Just be sure to check the label on your balsamic vinegar if you have a severe sensitivity or celiac disease.
Pro Tips
- Toast the dry quinoa in a skillet for a couple of minutes before cooking — it wakes up the nutty flavor the recipe is built on.
- Use cherry-size (ciliegine) mozzarella balls and halve them, as the recipe suggests, so their milky centers mix into the dressing instead of sitting in big bites.
- Soak the sliced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes while the quinoa cooks to mellow its bite; shallot, the recipe's other option, is mellower still.
- Cool the cooked quinoa completely before assembling — warm grains melt the mozzarella into a stretchy mess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make caprese quinoa salad ahead?
Yes, up to a day — but keep the tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella separate and fold them in just before serving so nothing gets watery or wilted.
Is this salad gluten-free?
Quinoa is naturally gluten-free, so yes — rinse it well before cooking, and check your balsamic vinegar label if you're highly sensitive.
Can I use a different cheese?
Fresh mozzarella is what makes it caprese, so I wouldn't stray far — if anything, swap in a plant-based mozzarella and add it at serving time to serve it dairy-free.
How do I keep the basil from turning dark?
Slice it with a sharp knife right before serving — bruised basil blackens within hours, so it should be the very last thing going into the bowl.
Recipe card below.
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Caprese Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
- Once cooked, fluff with a fork and transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool slightly.
- While the quinoa cooks, prepare the dressing.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the minced red onion, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.
- To the bowl with the quinoa, add the halved tomatoes, sliced basil, and halved mozzarella balls.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine everything.
- Serve immediately at room temperature for the best flavor.
