This quinoa salad is fabulous! It’s Ah-ma-zing! Like comfort food that is actually good for you. But let’s be real here, how can this salad not be delicious? Let’s check out some of the ingredients: mangoes, shredded coconut, raisins, slivered almonds, and edamame, all tossed in a lime balsamic vinaigrette. All delicious and good for you! Look at all those gorgeous colors. I’m already excited that I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
Ingredients
Salad
Quinoa – Start off with either dry quinoa or left over cooked quinoa – either will do in a pinch! Water Mango – Preferably fresh, but you can cube up frozen mango if needed. Red onion – Any type you like best will work. Bell pepper – I used a red pepper. Any color will be great. Coconut – Shredded, unsweetened. Almond – Slivered or sliced. Toast them first for a flavor boost! Raisins – Other dried fruits like apricot or craisins can be substituted. Edamame – Frozen, fresh, or canned. Cilantro – Use parsley instead if you’re not a cilantro fan.
Dressing
Lime juice – Fresh or bottled. Lemon juice will work too if that’s all you have. Balsamic vinegar – Other vinegars you can use: Sherry vinegar, red or white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar. Honey – A bit of sweetness to balance the tart. Agave, simple syrup, or granulated sugar works too. Olive oil – Other oils that work well with salads: avocado oil, sunflower oil, walnut oil. Salt & pepper – Season to taste.
What else can I add?
This quinoa salad is loaded up to the brim, but why not add a few more ingredients? Here are a few ideas for you:
Chopped kale or spinach Avocado, cubed Corn Peas Carrot, shredded Beans, drained and rinsed Chickpeas, drained and rinsed Pomegranate seeds Pineapple Cheese- feta, queso freso, blue cheese, goat cheese.
How to make this quinoa salad
What to serve with quinoa salad
This recipe is so big in flavor and ingredients, I like to let it be the star of the show and serve with some simple, light proteins such as:
Chicken
Baked Chicken Breast Cilantro Lime Salmon Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Garlic Paprika Chicken Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
or seafood
Cilantro Lime Salmon Baked Lemon Garlic Halibut Lemon Garlic Scallops Garlic Butter Shrimp Baked Lemon Pepper Salmon
How to store leftovers
Unlike salads that are made with lettuce, spinach, kale, etc., there is nothing in this quinoa salad that will wilt. It’ll stay fresh for 3-4 days refrigerated. Transfer leftovers to an airtight container before storing in the fridge. The only issue you might observe is that some moisture will release from the ingredients when they all sit together. To me, that is just some extra dressing!
Looking for more refreshing salad recipes?
Tabbouleh Salad Mexican Chicken and Rice Salad Kale and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Mushroom Arugula Warm Salad Cobb Salad Chopped Salad Avocado Tomato Salad Black Bean Corn and Avocado Salad
