Balmy August evenings call for outdoor dining and meals that require little prep and kitchen time. A myriad of vegetables, farm fresh and full of flavor, can bring some later summer magic to the patio table.

A few summers ago, our friends Jen and Scott invited us over for a casual summer dinner. Jen served this quinoa and squash salad along with some fresh melon and expertly grilled chicken that Scott had overseen. As we enjoyed the courses outside on their patio, we declared this salad a seasonal superstar, and it’s been a favorite summer dish of ours ever since.

This recipe first appeared in Bon Appétit in August of 2012 and comes from talented chef Soa Davies.

Summer Squash Abundance

August is peak squash season, so finding some of the major players in this salad should be very easy.

I’ve made it before with zucchini only, but this time used both yellow squash and zucchini to make the most of the play of color. The treatment of the squash—dehydrating it through a salty soak of sorts—creates a delicate crunch counterbalanced with a subtle softness. The bitterness that can sometimes occur in raw squash disappears as you rinse the vegetable pieces before assembling the salad. And the salt that you thought was going to raise your blood pressure also goes down the drain.

sliced zucchini and yellow squash — Slice the squash thinly both cross-wise and lengthwise.

salting the squash slices in colander — Layer the squash pieces, salting each layer.

squash and zucchini after sitting in salt — After half an hour, the squash has let go of some of its liquid.

draining and drying squash slices — After rinsing, drain the squash and dry on paper towels.

Cooking with Quinoa

While the squash is being transformed, you can turn your attention to the other major player—quinoa. I clearly remember when this grain native to South America was new to my pantry. During my first attempt at cooking it, our young son asked why we were having birdseed for dinner. We discovered that quinoa is a fun and healthy grain to cook with and plays well with a range of vegetables. It is very important to rinse the quinoa thoroughly before cooking it to remove a bitter natural coating. I appreciate the colors of quinoa varieties that are available now, and either red or multicolor quinoa complement the squash and herbs in the salad nicely. Since quinoa is gluten-free and full of protein, you might even feel a bit virtuous eating this summer salad.

rinsing quinoa — Rinse the quinoa for a few minutes under running waters.

cooking quinoa on stovetop — Cook the quinoa in water for about 15 minutes.

Parmesan takes two shapes in this salad–both as a component of the dressing and as a garnish that echoes the nutty flavor of the quinoa and walnuts.

We love the bright flavors that the lemony peel and juice bring to this salad, and the mix of herbs and nuts reinforces the fresh, summery taste of the dish.

This is a great salad to bring along on a picnic or serve on your patio alongside what you’re grilling. It will be a cool and crunchy accompaniment to your summer celebration.