Grilled Mango Chili Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)

Vibrant salad with grilled mango, fluffy quinoa, and zesty chili-lime dressing. Perfect light lunch or colorful side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Fruits & Vegetables

04 - 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and sliced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
09 - 1 avocado, diced
10 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Dressing

11 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 - Juice and zest of 2 limes
13 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
14 - 1 small red chili, deseeded and finely minced
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# How To Make:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water until water runs clear. Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Allow to cool completely before assembling salad.
02 - Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly brush mango slices with olive oil. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side until distinct grill marks develop and fruit is lightly caramelized. Transfer to a cutting board, let cool briefly, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, add cooled quinoa, grilled mango pieces, diced red bell pepper, chopped red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, cubed avocado, and fresh cilantro. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice and lime zest, maple syrup (or honey), minced red chili, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until emulsified and fully combined.
05 - Pour chili-lime dressing over the salad mixture. Toss gently to coat all ingredients without mashing the avocado. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of warm grilled fruit against cool crisp vegetables creates this incredible temperature contrast that wakes up your whole palate
  • It is one of those rare dishes that actually tastes better after sitting for a bit, making it perfect for meal prep or bringalong gatherings
02 -
  • Cold grain salads absorb dressing like crazy so always make extra dressing and add more right before serving
  • Grilling fruit might seem strange but the caramelization on the mango creates these deep sweet notes that balance the spicy dressing perfectly
03 -
  • If your mangoes are not quite ripe enough the grill will help soften them but you can also toss them with a teaspoon of maple syrup before grilling
  • The salad actually tastes better after sitting for 30 minutes so do not stress about serving it piping hot from the grill

Go Back