Grilled Mango Avocado Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)
Sweet grilled mango meets creamy avocado and fluffy quinoa in this vibrant summer bowl, topped with fresh herbs and zesty lime dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Produce
04 - 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and sliced
05 - 1 large avocado, diced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
09 - 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
10 - 2 cups baby arugula or spinach
→ Dressing
11 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons lime juice
13 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# How To Make:
01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water. Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
02 - Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
03 - Brush mango slices lightly with olive oil. Grill for 1-2 minutes per side until grill marks appear and mango is lightly caramelized. Remove from heat, let cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until fully emulsified and smooth.
05 - Combine cooked quinoa, grilled mango, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, mint, and arugula or spinach in a large bowl.
06 - Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The warm grilled fruit against cool creamy avocado creates this incredible contrast that wakes up your whole palate
- Its one of those rare salads that actually satisfies you completely, no post-lunch hunger pang required
02 -
- Grilling fruit changes its texture, so handle the mango gently after it comes off the heat or it will turn to mush
- Quinoa continues to absorb dressing as it sits, so always reserve some dressing to refresh leftovers the next day
03 -
- Cut your avocado into cubes rather than slices so every forkful gets some creamy goodness
- If the mangoes are not quite ripe enough to grill, broil them instead for that same caramelized effect