Grilled Peach Avocado Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)

Smoky grilled peaches meet creamy avocado and wholesome quinoa in this refreshing summer salad with zesty lime dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

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

→ Fruits & Vegetables

03 - 3 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
04 - 1 large avocado, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 small cucumber, diced
07 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely sliced
08 - 2 cups baby arugula or mixed greens
09 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or mint, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
12 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Additions

15 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
16 - 1/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

# How To Make:

01 - Combine quinoa and water or broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature.
02 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly brush peach halves with olive oil. Grill cut side down for 2-3 minutes until grill marks appear, flip and grill 1-2 minutes more. Remove from heat and slice.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified and smooth.
04 - Combine cooled quinoa, grilled peaches, avocado, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and arugula in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss to coat evenly.
05 - Sprinkle fresh herbs over the salad. Add crumbled feta and toasted nuts if using. Serve immediately or refrigerate until chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast of warm grilled fruit against crisp vegetables makes every bite interesting
  • It travels beautifully to potlucks and actually tastes better after the flavors mingle
02 -
  • Cool the quinoa completely before combining with the other ingredients, otherwise the avocado will wilt and the tomatoes will soften
  • Do not overgrill the peaches or they will turn mushy, you just want kiss of char not a full cook
03 -
  • Grill extra peaches and serve them for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
  • The dressing works on any summer salad, so double it and keep some in the fridge

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