Quinoa Bhel Salad (vegan, healthy-ish)

Quinoa Bhel Salad is a healthier twist on bhel puri made with veggies, spices, and chutneys.

It’s no surprise that I love bhel, thus I was thinking of some healthy alternatives to add in all that bhel flavor without the fried stuff. Enter, quinoa!

Quinoa is gluten-free, high in fiber, a good source of protein, and contains 9 essential amino acids. It’s especially a great choice among vegetarians.

There are a few steps to making this Quinoa Bhel Salad… make the red and green chutneys, make the quinoa, toast the quinoa, chop all the veggies, boil the potato, and assemble. It’s actually quite simple to make.

Instead of making my own tamarind chutney, I just buy mine at my local Indian grocery store. Feel free to buy your favorite red and green chutneys to save time. Having said that, I don’t think anything compares to homemade green chutney.

Hope you guys try this cause it’s really good. Even my hubby who complains about my food being too spicy LOVED this. It’s a keeper!

quinoa bhel salad is:

Vegan
Gluten-Free
Healthy-ish (omit bhujia sev for a super healthy option)
Bursting with flavor
Healthy twist on Bhel Puri
Makes a great Salad
Filling
Delicious

How to make Quinoa Bhel Salad step by step?

1. Start by making the red chutney. Add all the red chutney ingredients to a coffee grinder. Blend. This should be the consistency. Note: Red Chutney is optional.

2. Make the green chutney. You may need to add the cilantro a little bit at a time.

3. These are the chutneys you’ll need. I just use store-bought Tamarind Chutney, but you can make yours at home.

Quinoa

4. In an Instant Pot, add 1 cup of washed quinoa. Add 1 cup of water and cook on high pressure for 1 minute. Naturally release for at least 5 minutes.

5. In the meantime, get the remaining ingredients ready. Finely chop the onions and tomatoes. Rinse frozen corn under warm water until thawed. Boil a potato (on the stove, in an InstantPot, or microwave).

6. Roast peanuts on the stove for a couple minutes until they start to brown. Remove from heat.

7. Once the quinoa is done, dry roast it in the same cast-iron skillet for about 5 minutes. The quinoa will toast up and get slightly golden.

Assemble

8. Once done, transfer the quinoa to a large bowl. Also add, corn, onions, and tomatoes.

9. Top with diced potato followed by red, green, and tamarind chutneys. Mix well.

10. Add chat masala and peanuts.

11. Add drained, rinsed chickpeas. Mix well.

12. Transfer bhel to a serving bowl. Garnish with bhujia sev, fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately!

Pin & Enjoy!

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Quinoa Bhel Salad (vegan, gluten-free, healthy-ish)

Quinoa Bhel Salad is a healthier twist on bhel puri made with veggies, spices, and chutneys.

4.92 from 12 votes

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time40 mins

Cuisine Indian

Diet Vegan, Gluten-free, Healthy-ish

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 328kcal

Author: Nisha

Ingredients

• <b>for the red chutney blend</b>
• 5-6 dry red chilis soaked in water for 1/2 hour, then drain
• 6-7 garlic cloves
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp water - add a little more if need be
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 
  
• for the green chutney blend
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 inch piece ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp water add very little more, if need be
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp red onion chopped
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 green chilly
• 1 fresh bunch cilantro
• 
  
• for the quinoa instant pot
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup water if using instant pot, else use 2 cups water for stove top
• 
  
• to assemble
• cooked quinoa roasted
• 1/2 cup red onion chopped
• 1 cup boiled potato chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato squeeze juice out and chopped
• 3 tbsp tamarind chutney
• 1/2 cup organic frozen corn thawed
• 1 1/2 tbsp red chutney
• 3 tbsp green chutney
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp chat masala I love MDH brand
• 1/4 cup peanuts dry roasted
• 1 15 ounce can organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• <B>for garnish</b>
• 1/4 bhujia sev I love Haldirams
• fresh chopped cilantro to taste
• sprinkle pomegrante seeds

Instructions

• Start by making the red chutney. Add all the red chutney ingredients to a coffee grinder. Blend. This should be the consistency. Note: Red Chutney is optional.
• Make the green chutney. You may need to add the cilantro little bit at a time.
• These are the chutneys you'll need. I just use store bought Tamarind Chutney, but you can make yours at home.
• In an Instant Pot, add 1 cup of washed quinoa. Add 1 cup of water and cook on high pressure for 1 minute. Naturally release for at least 5 minutes.
• In the meantime, get the remaining ingredients ready. Finely chop the onions and tomatoes. Rinse frozen corn under warm water until thawed. Boil a potato (on the stove, in an InstantPot, or microwave).
• Roast peanuts on the stove for a couple minutes until they start to brown. Remove from heat.
• Once the quinoa is done, dry roast it in the same cast-iron skillet for about 5 minutes. The quinoa will toast up and get slightly golden.
• Once done, transfer the quinoa to a large bowl. Also add, corn, onions and tomatoes.
• Top with diced potato followed by red, green, and tamarind chutneys. Mix well.
• Add chat masala and peanuts.
• Add drained, rinsed chickpeas. Mix well.
• Transfer bhel to a serving bowl. Garnish with bhujia sev, fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 774mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg

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