Tahini Caesar Salad with Celery and Crispy Quinoa

This Tahini Caesar Salad with Celery and Crispy Quinoa is a refreshing new take on a classic dish we all know and love! Crisp chopped celery is tossed in a creamy tahini caesar dressing that's made without mayo or anchovies. It's finished off with some crispy quinoa for a healthy, crunchy alternative to croutons. This gluten free and vegetarian salad is the perfect side dish or full meal paired with your favorite protein.

Servings people

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Equipment

baking sheet
parchment paper
cutting board
knife
cheese grater
small bowl or jar
salad bowl + tongs

Ingredients

For the Tahini Caesar Dressing:

¼ cup tahini
3 tbsp water (to thin it out)
2 tbsp finely grated parmesan (can sub a vegan alternative)
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp capers finely chopped (optional but encouraged)
1 garlic clove minced
juice from ½ lemon
kosher salt & black pepper to taste

For the Crispy Quinoa:

1 cup cooked & slightly cooled quinoa (about ⅓ cup dry)
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt & black pepper to taste

For the Salad:

10 celery stalks sliced into thin strips on the diagonal*
shaved parmesan
pine nuts (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F and make sure the rack isn't too close to the top of your oven - otherwise the quinoa will burn! Line baking sheet with parchment paper and then add the quinoa. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and then spread out evenly on the baking sheet.
1 cup cooked & slightly cooled quinoa, 1 tbsp olive oil, kosher salt & black pepper
Transfer baking sheet to the oven to roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Once done, let the quinoa cool slightly before adding to the salad.
While the quinoa is cooking, add all tahini caesar dressing ingredients to a small bowl or jar and shake or stir until combined. Feel free to add more water as necessary to get it to your preferred consistency.
¼ cup tahini, 3 tbsp water, 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp capers, 1 garlic clove, juice from ½ lemon, kosher salt & black pepper
Toss chopped celery with tahini caesar dressing. Then, garnish with the crispy quinoa, shaved parmesan and pine nuts, if using. Enjoy!
10 celery stalks, shaved parmesan, pine nuts

Video

Notes

*NOTE: This is a pretty heavily dressed salad so if you'd prefer it to be lightly dressed, simply add more celery. And of course, you can always swap out the celery for romaine or your lettuce of choice.

NUTRITION INFO: Nutrition info listed below is just an estimate and does not include additional parmesan and pine nuts that you garnish the salad with.

Calories: 399kcal

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword: Caesar, Celery, Crispy Quinoa, Gluten Free, Quinoa, Salad, Salad Dressing, Tahini, Vegetarian

Nutrition