Description
A refreshing and colorful Quinoa Fruit Salad combining tri-color quinoa with fresh mango, raspberries, kiwis, clementine oranges, and blueberries, all tossed in a tangy citrus honey dressing. This vibrant salad offers a healthy balance of protein, fiber, and natural sweetness, making it perfect as a nutritious side dish or light meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Quinoa
- 1 cup uncooked tri-color quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Fruit
- 1 large mango or 2 small honey mangoes (1-1/3 cups), peeled and diced
- 1 (6-ounce) container fresh raspberries (about 1 heaping cup)
- 2 kiwis, peeled and chopped
- 4 to 5 clementine oranges or Cuties, peeled and segmented
- 1 heaping cup fresh blueberries
Dressing
- 2 clementine oranges or Cuties (zest and juice)
- 1 large lemon (zest and juice)
- 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Zest and juice the clementines and lemon to obtain 1 teaspoon clementine zest, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons clementine juice, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; add these to the jar along with honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Seal the jar and shake vigorously to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use and shake again before pouring over the salad.
- Cook the Quinoa: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small pot over high heat. Once boiling, add the quinoa and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir once, cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and cook undisturbed until the liquid is absorbed and quinoa has “popped,” approximately 13 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, keep covered, and let stand to steam for 5–10 minutes.
- Cool the Quinoa: Transfer the cooked quinoa to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator until ready to make the salad. To speed cooling, spread the quinoa evenly on a sheet pan and place it in the fridge or freezer for 10–15 minutes until cool.
- Prepare the Fruit: Peel and dice the mango. Wash and dry the raspberries and blueberries thoroughly. Peel and chop the kiwis. Peel and segment the clementine oranges.
- Assemble the Salad: Once the quinoa is fully cooled, add it to a large bowl. Add all the prepared fruit to the bowl.
- Toss with Dressing: Pour the dressing over the salad to taste (all dressing can be added for full flavor). Gently toss to combine, taking care not to damage the delicate fruit.
- Serve Immediately: Enjoy the salad right away. It is best consumed the same day as preparation since leftovers do not store well.
Notes
- Use tri-color quinoa for a visually appealing salad, but any quinoa variety will work.
- For faster quinoa cooling, spread it on a sheet pan and refrigerate or freeze briefly.
- Handle the fruit gently to avoid bruising and maintain the salad’s vibrant appearance.
- This salad is best served fresh; it tends not to keep well overnight.
- The dressing can be adjusted in sweetness or acidity to personal preference by balancing honey and citrus juice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
