Red Quinoa Salad

For the 7 to 8 days of Passover, Jewish families are celebrating freedom from slavery and flight from Egypt. And it all starts with the Seder, where the story of the exodus is told, and elaborate food and wine customs take place.

Artichokes and parsley are both staples of Jewish cuisine, and fit very well for Passover, a deeply rooted Spring celebration.

Quinoa is a relative newcomer to the Jewish table. It comes from the high plains of the Andes, and I remember when I came to the United States 16 years ago, quinoa was a completely unknown ingredient. Its gluten-free status, and its great healthy and fat-burning benefits have elevated it to the status it deserves.

Quinoa is not a grain. It’s a seed, and has been certified kosher for Passover.

Parsley symbolizes the freshness of the Spring. It also brings great flavor and cool freshness to this dish.

Click here for the full recipe card.

Artichokes are common in the Mediterranean, from Greece to North Africa to Israel. They’re also common in the south of France, and I remember cooking tons of them in the summer, when they become abundant and overwhelming! We used to eat artichokes every day as a kids!

In this recipe, start by sautéing onions in extra-virgin olive oil. You want them to brown a bit, and then add the artichokes, so they can brown too.

Remove half of the artichokes to use as garnish, and then add the red quinoa, the stock, and then cook for a mere 20 minutes.

Quinoa doesn’t have much flavor. Unless it is cooked in stock, and aromatics are added. This is why you need to add a ton of parsley, lemon juice, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive to bring the dish to new heights.

This dish is simple, and takes all but 25 minutes to make. It fits into the Jewish Seder ritual, and works fantastically for Passover.

Let me know how you love it.