Easy Vegetable Millet salad

Are you looking for a new salad to add to your daily meals? Look no further than millet salad! This easy recipe combines fluffy millet, vibrant vegetables, and a tangy dressing.

Add your favorite veggies, enjoy the zesty flavors, and don't forget the crunchy almonds. This millet salad is a wholesome dish that's both satisfying and good for you. Try this vegan and gluten-free recipe today!

Contents

• What is millet?
• Ingredients
• How to make millet salad
• Recipe Notes and Variations
• Serving suggestions
• Storage
• Common FAQs
• Recipe

What is millet?

Millet is an incredibly versatile ancient grain that is packed with nutrients. As millet is a little bland, you can use it as a base for many flavor combinations. And millet is a fantastic alternative to rice or pasta, adding a delightful texture to the dish.

In this post, I will show you a basic millet salad recipe and different customizations using which you can make your own delicious salad.

This millet salad is my favorite way to eat millet. So simple to make, yet it tastes delicious. I generally use leftover cooked millet to make this salad, but you can also use freshly cooked millet. Let's dive into the ingredients list.

Ingredients

• Millet:  Fluffy millet is the key to this millet salad recipe. Check my cooking millet post for detailed instructions and tips for cooking fluffy millet. I used proso millet to make this recipe. And this Proso millet is readily available in all supermarkets and online stores. Other millet types like foxtail, barnyard, or little millet also go well in this recipe.
• Veggies: I shot this recipe using broccoli, sweet corn, and carrots. But you could use any veggies according to the season and your taste. Some veggies that go well with this salad are green beans, peas, cauliflower, bell peppers, turnip, radish, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini.

• Salad dressing ingredients: This recipe uses a mix of fresh lemon juice, grated ginger, olive oil, pepper, and salt as a salad dressing. Ginger goes well with millet. The spice from ginger will flavor the bland millet and makes it flavorful. 
• Fresh herbs: I used cilantro leaves, giving the salad a wonderful flavor. You can use other fresh herbs like parsley, mint, dill leaves, and basil leaves. Chop it finely to allow its flavor to mingle with the other ingredients.
• Toppings: You can use nuts and seeds for an extra crunch and nutty flavor. I used almonds but other nuts like cashews, walnuts, pistachio, and pine nuts also go well in this salad. And I sometimes also use seeds like pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. If you prefer a touch of sweetness, you could use dried cranberries or raisins. 

How to make millet salad

Cook millet

You can use leftover millet to make this salad. If cooking millet, follow these steps for cooking fluffy millet.

• Rinse the millet, and if soaking it, soak it for 4 to 8 hours. Then drain the water from the millet and keep it aside.
• In a saucepan, combine the rinsed millet, water, and a pinch of salt.

• Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan with a lid.

• Simmer the millet until all the water is absorbed and the grains are tender.

• Once cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat and let the millet sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Then fluff the millet with a fork and let it cook down thoroughly.

Prep veggies

While the millet is cooking, you can prep the veggies for the salad.

• I used broccoli, sweet corn, and carrots. Chop the veggies as you like and steam them until they are cooked.

• If you use raw veggies like cucumber, tomato, and bell peppers, chop them and keep them aside.
• Wash the cilantro leaves and finely chop them.

Make salad dressing

• In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, and grated ginger. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk the ingredients well and keep the salad dressing aside.

Assemble the salad

• In a large bowl, take the veggies. Add the prepared salad dressing and mix it well.

• To this veggies mixture, now add cooked millet and cilantro leaves. Gently toss the salad and ensure the dressing coats all the ingredients evenly.

• Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
• Sprinkle the salad with the toppings. I used almonds here. And mix it well.
• Once everything is well combined, transfer the millet salad to a serving dish or serve it immediately.

Recipe Notes and Variations

• Fluffy millet makes this salad light and delicious. If you are new to millet, check out my detailed post on cooking millet.
• Leftover millet works perfectly for this salad. You can directly use the refrigerated millet to make this millet salad. 
• If using frozen cooked millet, thaw it and use it directly or heat it slightly on the stovetop or oven. If the millet is too dry, sprinkle one or two teaspoon of water and heat it.
• Instead of millet, you can make this salad with other whole grains like quinoa, barley, amaranth, farro, wild rice, or any leftover rice.
• If you have any leftover roasted veggies, you can use them in this recipe. 
• Add red chili flakes or chopped jalapenos to make this salad spicy.
• In this recipe, I used only black pepper powder. For different salad flavors, you can use garam masala powder or other spice mixes like Mexican or cajun spice mix.
• Olives and avocados are also an excellent addition to this salad.

Serving suggestions

This millet salad is very versatile, and here are some ways to serve this nutritious salad.

• Eat it as a meal: Enjoy millet salad as a satisfying meal for a light lunch or dinner. If you have cooked millet handy, you can make this salad in no time and enjoy home-cooked meals even on your busy days.
• Pair it with grilled proteins: The refreshing flavors of the salad complement the smoky and savory elements of grilled proteins. And pairing this salad with protein makes it a complete and satisfying meal.
• Serve as a side dish: Millet salad makes an excellent side dish to accompany various main courses.
• Pack for Lunch: Prepare a batch of millet salad in advance and pack it for a convenient lunch option. You can batch-cook the millet and make the salad as and when needed.
• Potlucks or Picnics: Millet salad is a crowd-pleaser, making it an ideal dish for potlucks, picnics, or gatherings with friends and family. And it is so easy to make in large quantities.
• Customize it: Add your favorite ingredients to your millet salad, like roasted veggies, grilled corn, or avocado slices. I sometimes add chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, or black-eyed peas. You can try different herbs or spices to please everyone in your family.

Storage

This salad keeps well for about 8 to 12 hours at room temperature. You can refrigerate the salad for a couple of days. And if you intend to use it after extended periods, freeze the salad in individual portions.

I prefer freezing the cooked millet and making the salad as needed.

Common FAQs

As you are here, you will also like my other refreshing salad recipes. Do check them out!

Have you tried this recipe? Provide your feedback by giving a star rating and/or leaving comments. And don't forget to share the recipe with others on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.

Recipe