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–+ servings

Fruity Quinoa Salad with Tropical Fruits & Rosemary Vinaigrette

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Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Cooling Time 10 minutes
Servings 3
Course
Salad
Cuisine
modern fusion cuisine

Description

This refreshing Fruity Quinoa Salad brings together juicy tropical fruits, creamy avocado, tender quinoa, and peppery arugula, all served with a bright, fragrant rosemary vinaigrette. Bursting with color and contrasting textures, it's a beautiful vegan and gluten-free salad perfect for warm-weather meals, entertaining, or a light lunch.

Ingredients
 

For the Salad

  • ½ cup quinoa
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil to cook the quinoa
  • ½ teaspoon salt to cook the quinoa
  • 2 cups fresh baby arugula about a handful
  • 2 kiwis peeled and sliced
  • 1 large mango peeled and sliced
  • 5 slices fresh or canned pineapple
  • 1 large avocado cut into segments
  • 1 orange peeled and cut into segments

For the Rosemary-Honey Vinaigrette

  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves only
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly grated black pepper to taste optional, for a hint of warmth

Instructions
 

Cook the Quinoa

  • Start by cooking the quinoa. Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it under cool water for 2 minutes, rubbing the grains with your hands to remove the bitter saponin coating. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the quinoa and toast it for a few seconds, stirring constantly. Add the water and salt, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the water is completely absorbed and the spirals start to pull away from the seeds. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and set it aside to cool down completely. In the meantime, prepare the dressing.

Make the Dressing

  • In a glass bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, fresh rosemary leaves, crushed garlic, water, and honey. Using a countertop or hand-held immersion blender, blend on high speed for about one minute until perfectly smooth and emulsified. Season with salt to taste. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assemble the Salad

  • Build your salad on a foundation of fresh baby arugula. Evenly arrange the avocado slices, orange segments, mango slices, kiwis, and pineapple slices over the greens, then scatter the cooked quinoa over the top. Serve the dressing on the side so everyone can add as much as they like. Happy eating!

Notes

 
Keyword fruity quinoa salad
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