Quinoa salad with fresh strawberries, arugula, toasted almonds, mint and a citrus vinaigrette
When I first encountered strawberries in a green salad years ago I didn’t quite know what to make of it.
They’re red, but they’re not tomatoes, what are they doing there?
One bite and I was a convert! Strawberries are juicy, tart, and sweet and make a playful addition to salads of all kinds, including a quinoa salad.
Our quinoa salad is pretty straightforward but with layers of flavor. There’s the nutty quinoa base, with a zesty orange vinaigrette. Baby arugula provides a peppery green.
There are toasted almonds for crunch, and sliced green onions for the necessary allium. Interspersed are chunks of ripe strawberries for the wow factor.
Perfect for a potluck gathering or a festive lunch. Enjoy!
Strawberry Arugula Quinoa Salad Recipe
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 10 strawberries, cored and quartered
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
- 2 cups of baby arugula greens
Vinaigrette ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Method
1 Cook the quinoa: Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. (If no package instructions, put 1 cup of uncooked quinoa into a saucepan with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes covered, then fluff with a fork.)
2 Make vinaigrette: Place the vinaigrette ingredients into a jar and shake to emulsify.
3 Cool the quinoa: When the quinoa is cooked, spread it out on a baking sheet to cool quickly.
4 Toss quinoa with vinaigrette, add remaining ingredients: When the quinoa has cooled, place into a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Then toss with the strawberries, almonds, green onions, mint, and arugula.
Serve immediately. If making in advance, you can dress the quinoa in advance, and then toss in the rest of the ingredients right before serving.
