• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Events
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Pax Romana's Quinoa Salad with Mixed Vegetable, Goat Cheese & Orange Dressing

    Modified: Jan 24, 2024 · Published: Jan 10, 2017 by Ashley

    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Flip
    • Threads
    • Bluesky

    This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·Leave a Review

    This is part 2 of a feature on my delicious experience with Chef Cristian Pettita at Pax Romana in White Plains, New York. You can find part 1 here.

    No more boring quinoa salad recipes! Fresh orange zest and juice go into the bold, bright vinaigrette for this beautifully plated restaurant recipe.

    Pax Romana's Quinoa Salad with Mixed Vegetable, Goat Cheese & Orange Dressing: No more boring quinoa salad recipes! Fresh orange zest and juice go into the bold, bright vinaigrette for this beautifully plated restaurant recipe. #BigFlavorsFromARestaurantKitchen

    Quinoa is an ingredient that people tend to feel very strongly about. I happen to enjoy the versatility of quinoa as an ingredient, and like using it as a way to change up our standard grain side dishes.

    And it doesn't have to be plain ol' quinoa - it can be dressed up a million ways!

    Chef Cristian showed me how he makes this gorgeously elegant quinoa salad recipe in his restaurant kitchen, and I couldn't believe how easy it was to put together! Honestly, prepping the ingredients probably takes the longest, and even that is pretty minimal.

    Pax Romana's Quinoa Salad with Mixed Vegetable, Goat Cheese & Orange Dressing: No more boring quinoa salad recipes! Fresh orange zest and juice go into the bold, bright vinaigrette for this beautifully plated restaurant recipe. #BigFlavorsFromARestaurantKitchen

    You can chop the veggies while the quinoa cooks and cools. He used white quinoa at the restaurant, but I had a partial bag of red quinoa at home, so I opted for that. I actually really liked the color that it added to the dish.

    The fresh orange juice and zest blend together to make a bright, vibrant dressing. Make sure you season it with plenty of salt and pepper to really make the flavors pop.

    You can even make this dish ahead of time, reserving a little of the dressing on the side for drizzling, and just garnish it with the greens, cheese, and orange segments when you're ready to serve it.

    Big Flavors from a Restaurant Kitchen Volume 15: Pax Romana - This installment features a new favorite local Italian restaurant + Q&A with Chef Cristian Petitta, who is bringing the best of each region of his native Italy to Westchester County, New York.

    When he plated it up (oh.so.gorgeously), he added some beautiful micro greens and thin slices of candy cane beet for garnish. I find those at the farmers market sometimes, and would definitely recommend using them to make this dish look even fancier.

    I had some baby arugula in the fridge, so I scattered that on top and think it turned out just fine!

    Pax Romana's Quinoa Salad with Mixed Vegetable, Goat Cheese & Orange Dressing: No more boring quinoa salad recipes! Fresh orange zest and juice go into the bold, bright vinaigrette for this beautifully plated restaurant recipe. #BigFlavorsFromARestaurantKitchen

    The other thing that he used to ensure a beautiful presentation was a ring mold. Use your spoon to really press the salad down in there so it holds its shape before removing it from the plate.

    There are tons of options online if you're looking for one (or a whole set). They have many uses in the kitchen - for plating, cookie and biscuit making, and shaping things like eggs and pancakes. He also used some kitchen tweezer/food tongs to really help place everything precisely.

    It was a real work of art!

    Pax Romana's Quinoa Salad with Mixed Vegetable, Goat Cheese & Orange Dressing: No more boring quinoa salad recipes! Fresh orange zest and juice go into the bold, bright vinaigrette for this beautifully plated restaurant recipe. #BigFlavorsFromARestaurantKitchen

    All these plating techniques definitely elevate this dish, but it would be equally delicious in a more free-form, rustic presentation (read: on a plate or in a bowl with garnishes piled up on top).

    Any way you make it, this dish comes out beautifully. I made most of it early in the day, then just plated it and added the finishing touches at dinner time. It makes a perfect light lunch or as a starter or side dish to a larger meal.

    Print

    📖 Recipe

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Close-up view of quinoa salad topped with goat cheese, oranges, and arugula.

    Pax Romana’s Quinoa Salad with Mixed Vegetable, Goat Cheese & Orange Dressing

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
    • Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen - Ashley Covelli (adapted from Chef Cristian Pettita)
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 minutes
    • Total Time: 35 minutes
    • Yield: 4 Servings 1x
    • Category: Main Dish
    • Method: Stovetop/Oven
    • Cuisine: Italian
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    No more boring quinoa salad recipes! Fresh orange zest and juice go into the bold, bright vinaigrette for this beautifully plated restaurant recipe.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 cup quinoa
    • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
    • 2 cups vegetable stock or water
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 small red onion, finely diced
    • 1 carrot, finely diced
    • 1 zucchini, finely diced
    • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
    • 2 large oranges, divided (1 zested and juiced, and 1 peeled and cut into segments)
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
    • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
    • Micro or baby arugula
    • Thin slices of candy cane beet (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Bring the quinoa, vegetable stock, and 1 pinch of salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Once done, drain in mesh strainer, and set aside.
    2. Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in the red onion. Cook until it softens and the aroma mellows, about 2 minutes. Add the carrot, zucchini, and red bell pepper, and continue cooking for about 2-4 minutes longer. You want your vegetables crunchy and not too cooked! Season with salt and pepper. Put the vegetables in a tray and let them cool down.
    3. For the dressing add the zest and juice of 1 orange to the bowl of a food processor. Add mustard, vinegar, and honey. Turn on the food processor and drizzle the extra virgin olive oil through the feed chute while the motor is running to combine. The dressing should have a nice consistency not too thick not too thin.
    4. In a large bowl, mix the cooked quinoa, vegetables, and all but ¼ cup of the orange dressing. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    5. Serve chilled salad with crumbled goat cheese, orange segments, and some micro arugula on top. Drizzle with reserved dressing.

    Notes

    Recipe adapted from Chef Cristian Pettita of Pax Romana.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 708
    • Sugar: 15.1 g
    • Sodium: 465.5 mg
    • Fat: 54.9 g
    • Saturated Fat: 9.4 g
    • Carbohydrates: 49.3 g
    • Fiber: 6.7 g
    • Protein: 10.3 g
    • Cholesterol: 6.5 mg

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @bigflavors on Instagram and hashtag it #cookbigflavors

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

     

    Pax Romana's Quinoa Salad with Mixed Vegetable, Goat Cheese & Orange Dressing: No more boring quinoa salad recipes! Fresh orange zest and juice go into the bold, bright vinaigrette for this beautifully plated restaurant recipe. #BigFlavorsFromARestaurantKitchen

    More Salads

    • Bowl of fattoush salad with serving utensils.
      Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad with Homemade Pita Chips
    • Ingredients for sumac vinaigrette.
      Sumac Vinaigrette: Quick & Easy Homemade Salad Dressing Recipe
    • Stirring a bowl of Calabrese potato salad to combine.
      Calabrese Potato Salad with Green Beans + Tomatoes (Italian, No-Mayo)
    • This fennel + citrus salad with shallots and capers is a deliciously crisp, fresh salad that satisfies all your sweet-and-salty cravings!
      Fennel + Citrus Salad with Shallots and Capers

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Ashley and I’ve been writing about food & recipes here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen since 2006. I want to help you (yes, you!) gain confidence in the kitchen so you are excited to cook at home for yourself and your loved ones.

    More about me →

    Favorite Spring Recipes

    • Mayo-free Deviled Eggs
    • Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad with Homemade Pita Chips
    • Birthday Cake Confetti Pancakes with Sprinkles
    • Italian Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheesecake
    • Garlicky Mushroom Ricotta Pizza with Wild Arugula + Aged Balsamic
    • Slow Cooker "Roasted" Beets
    • Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots
    • Italian Ricotta Cookies
    • Rhubarb Custard Pie
    • Easy Instant Pot Herbed Potato Salad

    Mother's Day + Easter Brunch

    • Epic Brunch Board on a Budget
    • Baby Spinach and Cheddar Quiche Made with Fresh Spinach
    • Turkey Salad Tea Sandwiches with Dried Cherries
    • Great Grandma Maria Francesca Cardile's Italian Easter Cookies
    • Brie Waffle Bites
    • Challah French Toast
    • Creamsicle Smoothies
    • DM Bloody Mary
    • Turkey Scotch Eggs
    • The Herbalist

    Popular Now

    • Overhead view of spinach and cheddar quiche with forks.
      Baby Spinach and Cheddar Quiche Made with Fresh Spinach
    • Close up of a few cucumber slices topped with a spiced chickpea purée.
      Falafel-Spiced Cucumber Bites
    • Overhead shot of a plate with rectangles of white coconut jelly.
      Coconut Jelly
    • Falafel in pita bread with toppings served with yogurt-herb sauce.
      Falafel with Yogurt-Herb Sauce
    • Overhead view of assorted breakfast items displayed on a board.
      Epic Brunch Board on a Budget
    • No Mayo Deviled Eggs: Skip the mayo in this appetizer favorite - guaranteed to be a hit at any party!
      No Mayo Deviled Eggs

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Ashley
    • Press + Recognition
    • Events
    • Virtual Cooking Classes
    • Podcast
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up to receive delicious recipes and exclusive content right to your inbox!

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no added cost to you.

    ©2006–2025  BIG FLAVORS FROM A TINY KITCHEN LLC | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    *Third-party advertisers may collect or use non-personally identifiable information to serve you more relevant ads.