Grilled Apricot Mint Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)

Smoky grilled apricots with fluffy quinoa, mint and lemon dressing—light, Mediterranean-style salad served chilled.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth

→ Produce

03 - 4 ripe apricots, halved and pitted
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Garnishes

14 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
15 - 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

# How To Make:

01 - Combine rinsed quinoa and water or vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes until all liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff gently with a fork, and spread on a sheet pan to cool to room temperature.
02 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly brush the cut sides of each apricot half with olive oil. Place apricots cut-side down on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until distinct grill marks form and the fruit softens slightly. Transfer to a plate, let cool briefly, then slice each half into wedges.
03 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until the dressing is emulsified and well blended.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, grilled apricot wedges, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped mint leaves, and chopped parsley. Toss gently to distribute all ingredients evenly.
05 - Pour the prepared lemon dressing over the assembled salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Transfer to a serving platter or shallow bowl. Scatter crumbled feta cheese and toasted sliced almonds over the top if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The grilled apricots become little bombs of smoky sweetness that make people ask whats in this
  • Everything can be prepped ahead and actually tastes better after the flavors hang out for a while
02 -
  • Grilling apricots over too high heat will burn the sugars before the fruit softens, medium high is your sweet spot
  • The salad needs at least 15 minutes for the dressing to soak into the quinoa, otherwise it tastes like dressed grain instead of a cohesive dish
03 -
  • Chill your quinoa faster by spreading it on a baking sheet, nobody wants warm salad ingredients mixed with hot grain
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin ribbons of cucumber for a more elegant presentation

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