Description
This Strawberry Avocado Quinoa Salad is topped with a delicious salty/sweet pecan and pumpkin seed brittle and tossed with a jalapeño lime vinaigrette. It's refreshing, packed with flavor and texture, easy to make and perfect for spring or summer!
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 cup quinoa, cooled (1/3-1/2 cup dry, cooked according to package directions)
- 5 oz (1 container) arugula, baby kale or spinach
- 1 cup diced or thinly sliced cucumber
- 1 pint strawberries, quartered or sliced into rounds
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans OR pecan pumpkin seed brittle (recipe below)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Jalapeño Lime Vinaigrette:
- Half of a small jalapeño, deseeded and minced
- 1/3 cup olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Pumpkin-Pecan Brittle (optional)
- 1 cup raw, unsalted pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- To make the brittle (optional): preheat oven to 275˚F. Add the pecans, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix well to coat. Spread onto a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 35 minutes, rotating the sheet pan halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled, break into small, bite-sized pieces. (You can speed up the cooling process by placing it in the freezer for a few minutes.)
- While the brittle is in the oven, cook quinoa according to package directions. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. To speed this up, fluff it with a fork to release steam and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Meanwhile, whisk together all ingredients for the vinaigrette.
- Assemble salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently with vinaigrette. If you're not serving this salad right away, wait to add the brittle until just before serving.
Notes
If you're making this ahead of time, wait to toss the salad with the dressing until about an hour before serving to prevent the greens from getting too soggy. We also recommend waiting to top with the pecan brittle (if using) to keep it super crisp.
Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days but note that it will get soggier the longer it sits. For best results, store vinaigrette separately.
Add a protein: To make this a full, balanced meal, consider adding a protein like grilled chicken, shrimp or tofu.
Optional: cook quinoa in vegetable broth instead of water for more flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl
- Calories: 496
- Sugar: 7.9 g
- Sodium: 338.4 mg
- Fat: 30.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 51.1 g
- Fiber: 10.9 g
- Protein: 10.5 g
