Description
This Strawberry Quinoa Salad is a perfect summer side dish, full of fresh berries, creamy avocado, bright mint, and high-protein quinoa, it’s satisfying and quick to make.
Ingredients
Scale
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 TBS lemon juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup or honey (to help thicken the dressing)
- 1 tsp mustard (optional, to help emulsify the dressing)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- A dash of pepper
For the salad:
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (or 2 cups cooked)
- 6-8 large strawberries, hulls removed and sliced thinly
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, slightly chopped (you can sub pine nuts or slivered almonds)
- 1 small avocado, cubed
Instructions
- Begin by adding the olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, optional mustard, salt, and pepper to a sealable jar. Put the lid on the jar and shake to combine. Alternatively, whisk the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer (this helps remove some bitterness from saponins). Add quinoa to a medium pot with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook about 15 minutes (until water is absorbed). Remove from heat and stir with a fork to “fluff.” Add lid back on and set pot aside to cool slightly. Prep other ingredients during this time.
- Add cooled quinoa to a large bowl and drizzle with dressing, stirring to coat. You may not need all of the dressing. I recommend adding half and then tasting the quinoa to see if it fits your preference.
- To quinoa, add sliced strawberries, mint leaves, pistachios, and avocado pieces. Stir to combine once more.
Notes
If you’re prepping this salad in advance, wait until just before serving to add avocado and mint, as these tend to brown/wilt over time.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
Nutrition
- Serving Size: One fourth of recipe
- Calories: 362 calories
- Sugar: 6.9 grams
- Sodium: 298 milligrams
- Fat: 27.1 grams
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 23.4 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 26.2 grams
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Protein: 7 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 milligrams