Black-Quinoa-Pasta-Salad-1349474596[1]This Pasta salad is over the top wonderful with the black quinoa and the dressing is a creamy dressing, unusual for a pasta salad. Makes a lot, so take a bowl to the neighbor.

Black Quinoa Pasta Salad
Author: 
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: Enough to feed the family and more
 
Ingredients
  • For the Salad:
  • 6 cups cooked pasta shells chilled
  • 2 cups black quinoa cooked*
  • 1 cup red onion chopped
  • 1 cup celery chopped
  • 2 red apples chopped
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese chunks, or other cheese
  • 4 cups cooked chicken breasts chilled, chopped in cubes
  • -
  • For the Dressing:
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1½ cups mayonnaise
  • ½ cup Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 to 2 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds*
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup white balsamic vinigar
Instructions
  1. Combine dressing ingredients and whisk well.
  2. Then combine all the ingredients and dressing in a bowl and toss well.
  3. Serve on a bed of red leafy lettuce.
  4. *To cook Quinoa: 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. Cook like white rice.
  5. *To toast cumin seeds, place in large skillet over medium high heat and stir constantly until lightly toasted. You will smell the oils.