I love this type of salad. The mix of grains and vegetables combined with its lemony dressing is satisfying as a side dish or a meal in itself. I used a package of Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend. It’s a mix of Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa. If you can’t get your hands on it, try experimenting with your own favorite grains. No matter what you use, this dressing will bring it all together with the veggies and taste delicious!
Harvest Grains and Veggie Salad
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
15 ounce can small red beans, drained and rinsed well
4 – 5 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
1 – 2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped
In a small pot bring the water to a boil, then add the salt, the grains and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and cumin and give it a whisk.
In a medium bowl, add the remaining ingredients and top with the warm grains, the warmth will wilt the spinach ever so slightly. Then, add the dressing and stir to combine.
Refrigerate for at least an hour to serve cold, although, I can never wait. I just eat it right there and then!
Notes:
- This Trader Joe’s blend is a nice change. I had never used it before. The grains, and especially the garbanzo beans, retain a nice bite to them that I like. If you like things a bit more tender, you can increase the cooking time by a minute or so. Test it at 10 minutes first.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this recipe! I rarely leave comments for online recipes but this recipe is so outstanding I had to thank you as it will be our go to pasta salad from now on. I made the recipe as written and it was fabulous. What I love about this recipe is, it’s so much healthier than the pasta salad we all grew up with. The different grains in the Harvest grain mix, spinach, and red beans are all healthy. The homemade simple lemon, olive oil dressing is also healthy as there is none of the junky ingredients that you get in bottled dressing. This salad stands strong to make ahead of time to serve later. We have eaten it several days after I make and it’s always delicious. So thank you Caroline for this outstanding creation! PS…We don’t have a Trader Joe near us but I was able to find the Harvest Grain mix on Amazon.😊
You are so sweet, Joyce! This made me so happy. I haven’t made this one in a long time…I think I might make it today!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I’ve been making it for years and it quickly became a family favorite!
My son loves to take it for lunch and requests grilled chicken as the “topper!”
It’s also a much requested salad when I take it to luncheons the PTO hosts for the teachers and staff!
Kelly! That is such a sweet compliment! Thank you for taking the time to share that with me!
Hi, I’m making this today to go with Turkey burgers and corn on the cob. Can you tell me about how many adults this will feed as a side dish? I have 6 adults coming. Thank you!
I would say, along with a meal, this would serve 4 to 6 people, Joy.
This is a delicious salad! So glad I found it. So easy to follow as written and versatile if you want to add things in. I may try substituting kale for the spinach next time. Have you ever tried this?
I’m so happy you found your way here, Amy! I haven’t tried the kale in this particular recipe, but I have used it in other grains salads and it’s wonderful! Thanks for your kind words!
Thank you! I am eating it right now and love this recipe!
I’m SO happy to hear that, Alyssa! It’s been a long time since I’ve made this salad…but you’ve got me craving it now. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Excellent! Substituted grape tomatoes for sundried.
This makes me so happy! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
I am sooo pleased to have found your website, and will be following you from now on.
Welcome, Shirley! That’s the sweetest thing I’ve heard all day! I’m so glad you’re here and hope you find recipes that you love! Thanks so much for your kind words. xo
Caroline, I am sooo pleased that I have found your site, and so enjoying everything. Thank you!
Could you also put the calories into your receipts?
Hi Julie! Great question. Although I do not provide that information, there are some great resources online where you can simply input a link to any of my recipes and get all nutritional information. A great one is myfitnesspal.com Hope that helps.
Love Love Love!!! So easy and versatile. The dressing is perfect!
Raquel, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this! I love this dressing too…it’s my favorite go-to! Thanks for your kind words! :)
Loved this so much that I made it 2x in one week. The second time I used black beans. Wonderful recipe!
So happy you liked it so much, Karla! The black beans are such a great idea! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
I just might make that salad when we stop for the night. ! Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks so much Nan and John! I’m so glad you like this salad. I checked out your blog…you two are adventurous! This salad would be great for you…it makes a filling lunch or dinner!
I kind of went nuts on this recipe and loved it! I want to try the trader joes blend but for today I skipped the parsley and followed the recipe except with a mix of quinoa, chia, green lentils, orzo, and yellow lentils. So good! And I LOVE the pictures; they made me instantly hungry!
Jenn, that sounds SO good! Those grains are a great combination! I’m going to give that a try. Thanks for the sweet compliments…you made my day!
Can’t wait to try this. Where can you find the harvest blend if you’re not near a Trader Joe’s?
Hello Heide! You could use an Israeli couscous instead of the Harvest Blend. Honestly, that is the primary ingredient in that blend, but this would work with any of your favorite coarse grains. I hope you love it! Let me know what you end up using and how it worked out! Thanks so much for stopping by!
This is my new favorite meal! I love salads like these. I added a red bell pepper, more onion, cilantro, avocado and used black beans. So good :)
Thanks so much Taylor! Those ingredients you added are some of my favorite flavors. I will certainly try that next time. I’m thrilled to hear that you like this as much as I do! That was so sweet of you to let me know! :D