Description
A refreshing mango quinoa salad that combines sweet mango, cherry tomatoes, and a zesty dressing, perfect for a light meal or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup (90 g) quinoa, uncooked, rinsed thoroughly
- 1 large mango (about 1 cup diced), ripe and cubed
- 1 pint (300 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup (40 g) red onion, finely diced (soaked in cold water for 10 minutes)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
- Step 1: Rinse the quinoa in a mesh sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear to remove saponins that cause bitterness.
- Step 2: Transfer rinsed quinoa to a medium pot and add 1 cup (240 ml) water and a pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
- Step 3: Once cooked, turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for 5 minutes to allow quinoa to steam and finish cooking gently, preventing mushiness.
- Step 4: Pour quinoa into a mesh sieve and rinse under cold water until completely cool. Shake off as much excess water as possible to keep grains separate and firm.
- Step 5: In a large bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper until well blended.
- Step 6: Add the cooled quinoa, diced mango, halved cherry tomatoes, diced jalapeño, finely diced red onion, and chopped cilantro into the bowl with the dressing. Toss everything thoroughly to coat all ingredients with the dressing.
- Step 7: Cover and refrigerate the salad for about 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container up to 4 hours to maintain freshness before serving.
- Refrigeration: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; toss lightly before serving to redistribute dressing.
- Freezing: Place in freezer-safe container or bag and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before serving.
- Rinsing quinoa thoroughly removes the natural bitter coating (saponins) and prevents off-flavors.
- Allowing quinoa to sit covered off-heat for 5 minutes steams the grains to ideal fluffiness, avoiding mushiness.
- Cooling quinoa completely before mixing ensures grains stay separate, preserving salad texture.
- For milder flavor and less heat, replace jalapeño with 1/2 cup diced bell pepper.
- If the salad tastes dry after combining, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil for moisture and richer taste.
- Use a small jar to shake dressing ingredients for ease and thorough blending.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg