Strawberry Avocado Quinoa Salad (Printer-Friendly)

Juicy strawberries, creamy avocado, quinoa, and greens with citrus dressing for a colorful, refreshing meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Fruits & Vegetables

04 - 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
05 - 1 large avocado, diced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
07 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

→ Nuts & Seeds

09 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds or pecans, toasted

→ Cheese (optional)

10 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water using a fine mesh strainer.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, strawberries, avocado, spinach or mixed greens, red onion, basil, and toasted almonds or pecans.
05 - Drizzle prepared dressing over the mixture and gently toss to thoroughly combine all ingredients.
06 - Top with crumbled feta cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The citrus dressing wakes up every ingredient and makes the salad taste like a bowl of sunshine.
  • There&apo;s so much texture: creamy avocado, juicy strawberries, and the satisfying chew of quinoa.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing quinoa, it can turn out bitter—trust me, it&apo;s not pleasant.
  • I learned adding avocado last keeps it from getting mushy in the salad.
03 -
  • Let quinoa cool fully before adding so the greens stay crisp.
  • Rubbing sliced onion with lemon neutralizes sharpness.
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