Start by washing and chopping all your salad vegetables. I recommend finely chopping the cabbage, kale, and cucumbers for the best texture. You can also use a food processor to save time on chopping, but I personally love the fresh texture that hand-chopping provides. Add everything to a large salad bowl along with the cooked quinoa. You can make the quinoa in advance and let it cool down before mixing it into the salad.

In a blender, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar (or rice vinegar), garlic, shallot, basil, parsley, dill, and spinach. Blend until smooth. This dressing will have a slightly creamy texture thanks to the spinach and herbs, giving it that extra boost of freshness and flavor. You can adjust the consistency by adding a little more olive oil or water if it’s too thick for your liking.

Pour the freshly made dressing over the salad and quinoa mixture. Use salad tongs or a spoon to toss everything together, ensuring each piece is well coated in the herby goodness. This salad can be served immediately, but I highly recommend letting it chill for about an hour. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully, making the salad even more delicious!

Serve the salad immediately after mixing, or let it sit for an hour to allow the flavors to develop. Either way, it’s a delight! Top with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds or your choice of crunchy topping for that extra texture.