I have to say I’m impressed by how well this quinoa based side dish turned out, especially since I’m a novice when it comes to cooking with this very versatile and readily available ingredient. I have previously included quinoa in a hearty chicken and vegetable soup and also added it to home cooked baby food for my 10 month old son Maksim. My friend Kerrie whom I dub the “Quinoa Queen” because she incorporates quinoa regularly into her family meals, gave me some effective cooking tips which I used when making this salad.

Last night we enjoyed juicy barbecued scotch fillet steaks, sprinkled with dried oregano and sizzled on a hot plate just long enough to cook the outside but with the inside left an appealing pink colour. Yum! I developed this recipe for Quinoa, Broadbean and Chilli Salad because I was after a complimentary side for our steak that was a move away from the usual potato, rice or pasta base. The freshness of the vegetables, light texture of the quinoa and hint of Jalapeño chilli balance out the weight of the steak beautifully. 

In  addition to its versatility, each mouthful of cooked quinoa delivers a boost of protein, iron, magnesium, vitamin B-6, potassium, fibre and some calcium. This ingredient is particularly appealing for people on a restricted diet because it contains no saturated fat and is also completely gluten free. 

It is even possible to purchase quinoa flour which I was only made aware of this morning, whilst listening to ABC Radio’s 702 morning program. The guest speaker was Rowie Dillon from Rowie’s Cakes in Sydney, a bakery that specialises in 100% gluten, yeast and wheat free baked goods. Rowie explained how perfectly suited quinoa flour was to baking pastries and the like, because of its aerated texture and ability to rise during cooking. I must seek some out and give this flour a test run in my kitchen. 

Quinoa, Broadbean and Chilli Salad to serve 6 people as a side dish

Ingredients for the SALAD
1 cup of quinoa
water or stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 telegraph cucumber peeled and diced into 1cm pieces
2 juicy, ripe tomatoes, diced into small bite sized pieces (the sweeter the tomato the better!)
1 cup of podded broadbeans * see note below in the method
1 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
1 small Jalapeño chilli very finely diced with all seeds removed

For the DRESSING
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
good grind of sea salt to taste


Pour the dried quinoa along with 2/3 of a cup of tap water into a pot. Bring to the boil briefly, then reduce the heat to LOW and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Turn OFF the heat and place a couple of paper towels in between the quinoa and the saucepan lid. This will absorb any additional moisture, leaving you with fluffy balls of quinoa that can be eaten immediately or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. 

While the quinoa is cooking prepare the broadbeans. You can use the frozen ones and cook according to the instructions on the packet. I prefer the fresh variety which involved first removing the beans from the long, bulbous pods. I used about 30 long pods to end up with a cup of podded beans but this number can vary depending on their size. 

Once you have taken all the beans out of the pods, you need to place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle for 5 minutes. Then, drain the beans and remove the thin, pale skin that covers the bright, glossy green bean within. Don’t cheat and leave the skins on because this will destroy the dish. The skins are bitter. Halfway through this process you will raise your eyes to the ceiling and wonder aloud in a groaning tone of voice why you are bothering with such a tedious task. Don’t give up! The end result is worth the effort, because podded, cleaned broadbeans have the most wonderfully refreshing taste and smooth, firm texture. Give them a go, you will be hooked!

Now, put the diced cucumber, tomato, parsley, broadbeans, parsley, chilli into a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa and pour over the dressing ingredients. Using salad servers, toss gently to combine. This would also make a tasty accompaniment to grilled fish or barbecued marinated chicken.