Fry

Quinoa and Vegetable Chorizo Salad

August  5, 2013
4.3
3 Ratings
Photo by Johanna Frenkiel
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

A word of warning: this recipe uses words that might freak out some vegetarians. But fear not: our chorizos are purely plant-based! This is without doubt the most unexpected dish in this cookbook. Not only have we made sausages(!) but we also threw them in a quinoa salad. It’s definitely not our usual combination, but it is really good. The mustard dressing in the salad matches the chorizos perfectly. Of course, you can also make the quinoa salad without the chorizos (or buy ready-made). And, on the other hand, there are many ways you can eat and serve the vegetable chorizos -- as a classic hot dog, in bangers and mash, or in a stew. —Green Kitchen Stories

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Ingredients
  • Vegetable chorizos
  • 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, rinsed
  • 3/4 cup cashew nuts, toasted
  • 1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 small red chili, seeded and finely chopped
  • 6 unsulphured dried apricots, coarsely chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves picked and chopped
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 1 tablespoon xanthan gum
  • 1 tablespoon flax seeds, ground
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, for frying
  • Quinoa salad and dressing
  • 1 cup black quinoa
  • 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 small red apples, diced
  • 1/2 onion, sliced
  • 2 cups cooked lima beans
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
  • 3 tablespoons hot English mustard
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 2 sprigs fresh oregano, to garnish
Directions
  1. To prepare the chorizos, combine the sundried tomatoes, cashew nuts, onion, chili, and apricots in a food processor or blender.
  2. Pulse until finely chopped.
  3. Add the herbs, rice flour, xanthan gum, and flax seeds and pulse until everything is combined.
  4. Add the olive oil and 1?4 cup water and pulse until a dough is formed. It should be easy to handle and form into a sausage shape.
  5. Divide the dough into 5 equal parts. Roll each piece into a sausage, place on the cheese cloth, roll up and tie the twine firmly around both ends. Repeat with the rest of the sausages.
  6. Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in the widest frying pan you have. Lay the chorizos in it and let them boil for about 45 minutes.
  7. Next, carefully remove the cloths from the boiled chorizos. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat and fry them until they are nicely browned all over.
  8. Next prepare the quinoa salad. Place 2 1?4 cups water, the quinoa, and salt in a heavy-based saucepan. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, and gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
  9. Drain any excess water and set aside to cool.
  10. Prepare the tomatoes, apples, and onion, and slice the fried chorizos.
  11. Whisk together olive oil, lemon, mustard, and sea salt in a small bowl.
  12. Put the quinoa, tomatoes, apples, onions, and lima beans into a large bowl. Add the chorizo slices, then pour the dressing over the salad and toss about to make sure all the ingredients are well coated.
  13. Garnish with oregano and serve.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

David & Luise are the couple behind the critically acclaimed and award winning food blog Green Kitchen Stories. Healthy, seasonal and delicious vegetarian recipes paired with colorful and beautiful photos have become a trademark of their style. They recently won the Saveur Food Blog of the Year Award and their app "Green Kitchen" was selected as App of the Year Runner-Up in App Store Best of 2012. David is Swedish and Luise is Danish, and they currently live in Stockholm with their 3-year old daughter Elsa.

8 Reviews

Anne-Pièr F. September 18, 2014
I don't understand step 4 (add what oil ? I only see oil for frying....). Thank you !
Rosalind P. January 7, 2022
Sadly this shows a big Food52 flaw -- no response to an important question. Happens way too much. I would add the oil in small increments until a dough forms.
marsiamarsia July 25, 2014
In Step 6, I can't find the vegetable stock in the list of ingredients. How much vegetable stock is needed to cook the sausages in? This recipe is intriguing! Can't wait to try it.
marsiamarsia July 25, 2014
Umm . . . where does one find xanthan gum?
Valentina S. September 22, 2013
I love all of your recipes and blog; this is one of those recipes that definitely convinced me to buy your book. Thanks for being such an enormous source of inspiration!
GSmodden August 16, 2013
Is this recipe gluten free, too? I have family members who can't have gluten, and I was hoping I could make this for them.
Green K. August 19, 2013
Yes, this is a gluten-free recipe. Hope your family will like them!
– David
Will P. August 7, 2013
While the Chorizos sound delicious, I'm not sure what makes them 'Chorizo' per se..seems like it could use a dose of Smoked Paprika maybe?