Grilled Peach Basil Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)
Char-grilled peaches, basil and quinoa tossed in a lemon-honey vinaigrette for a bright, summery lunch or side.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked and rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
→ Fruit & Vegetables
03 - 3 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
08 - 2 cups baby arugula or mixed greens
→ Cheese & Nuts (optional)
09 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
10 - 1/4 cup toasted pecans or almonds, chopped
→ Dressing
11 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon honey
13 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - Salt, to taste
16 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make:
01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff grains gently with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly brush peach halves with olive oil. Place on grill, cut side down, and cook 2–3 minutes until grill marks appear and peaches have softened. Remove from grill and slice when cool enough to handle.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, grilled peach slices, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, basil, and arugula or mixed greens.
05 - Drizzle salad with prepared lemon-honey vinaigrette. Toss gently until evenly coated.
06 - Top salad with crumbled feta cheese and toasted nuts, if desired. Serve at once or refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving to enhance flavors.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That little hit of honey in the vinaigrette makes every bite taste like peak August.
- It stays lovely in the fridge, so you get a showstopper salad (and lunch envy at work) with almost zero fuss.
02 -
- Once, I forgot to cool the quinoa and wilted all the greens—learn from me: patience is key.
- Grilling the peaches with too much oil means flare-ups and burnt fruit, so go easy when brushing.
03 -
- Always grill one extra peach—somehow, someone eats it before it reaches the bowl.
- If the quinoa seems dry, an extra splash of olive oil revives everything right before serving.