Description
A fresh and vibrant Berry Quinoa Salad featuring a colorful mix of berries, almonds, and a zesty citrus-honey dressing infused with fresh mint and basil. This nutritious salad is perfect as a light lunch or a refreshing side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped mint
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped basil
Salad
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries, cut in half
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup roughly chopped almonds (or candied pecans)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the orange zest, fresh orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, honey, finely chopped mint, and finely chopped basil until well combined. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Combine the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, gently toss together the cooked quinoa, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, roughly chopped almonds, additional mint, and basil, ensuring the berries and herbs are evenly distributed.
- Dress the salad: Drizzle the prepared citrus honey dressing over the quinoa and berry mixture. Gently stir again to coat all ingredients with the dressing without breaking the berries. Serve immediately or chill for a short time before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute almonds with candied pecans for a sweeter crunch.
- Use fresh or frozen berries depending on the season; if frozen, thaw and drain excess moisture before adding.
- For a vegan version, replace honey with maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Cook quinoa ahead of time and refrigerate to simplify salad assembly.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Berry Quinoa Salad, citrus dressing, healthy salad, quinoa salad, berry salad, fresh herbs, gluten free, vegetarian
