Salad Topper Recipe
Salad Topper is an easy and delicious way to add a tasty crunch to salads, soups and bowls. Versatile and fun to play around with, keep it simple or add your favorite seasonings. Made with toasted quinoa and seeds.
How to Make the Best Salad Topper
This salad topper is a game-changer for anyone looking to add satisfying crunch and nutrition to their everyday meals. Made with a blend of toasted quinoa and seeds, it transforms simple salads, grain bowls, and soups into something special. The combination of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds provides a wonderful variety of textures and a boost of protein and healthy fats.
What makes this recipe so versatile is how easy it is to customize. Keep it simple with just olive oil and salt, or experiment with your favorite seasonings—a splash of tamari adds a savory umami note that pairs beautifully with Asian-inspired salads. The toasted quinoa brings an unexpected lightness and satisfying crispness that store-bought croutons simply can’t match.
Best of all, this salad topper keeps for up to a month in an airtight container, making it perfect for meal prep. Sprinkle it over leafy greens, add it to Buddha bowls, or use it to top creamy soups for an instant upgrade that makes healthy eating feel a little more exciting.
Salad Topper
Salad Topper is an easy and delicious way to add a tasty crunch to salads, soups and bowls. Versatile and fun to play around with, keep it simple or add your favorite seasonings. Made with toasted quinoa and seeds.
Ingredients
Quinoa Base
Seed Mixture
Instructions
Prepare the Quinoa
- Toss cooked quinoa (thoroughly cooled - see notes) with olive oil and salt.
- Spread onto two sheet pans in thin layers. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until crispy.
Toast the Seeds
- In a bowl, mix together sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hempseeds, and sesame seeds with 1 tablespoon tamari or Braggs.
- Spread onto a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Combine and Store
- After the seeds completely cool, mix with the crispy quinoa.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a month.
Notes
- Cook the quinoa ahead of time and let it cool completely in the refrigerator before using. This helps it crisp up better in the oven.
- For extra flavor, try adding garlic powder, onion powder, or your favorite dried herbs to the quinoa before baking.
- Each 2-tablespoon serving contains approximately 158 calories, 10.8g fat, 11.7g carbs, and 5.5g protein.
