This spring quinoa salad is the perfect way to kick off the season! It’s loaded with crisp asparagus, sweet peas, fresh herbs, and avocado all tossed together with a honey-lemon vinaigrette. Nourishing, easy to make, and perfect for meal prep!
Ingredients
1cupquinoa
1 ¾ cupswater
1small bunchasparagus, trimmed
3scallions, finely chopped
1cupshelled peas, fresh or thawed from frozen
¼ cupfresh dill, chopped
¼ cupfresh mint, chopped
Avocado and toasted almonds, to serve
Lemon VInaigrette
¼ cupolive oil
¼ cupfresh lemon juice
Zest from 1 unwaxed lemon
1tablespoonhoney
1teaspoondijon mustard
Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
Combine the quinoa and water in a medium-sized pot and bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered for another 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked quinoa to a wide, shallow bowl and put it into your fridge to cool completely.
1 cup quinoa, 1 ¾ cups water
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and place a bowl of ice water next to the stove. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just tender. Quickly transfer the asparagus to the ice water to halt the cooking process. Once cooled, remove and slice into 1-inch pieces.
1 small bunch asparagus
To make the dressing, add all ingredients to a jar and shake to combine.
¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, Zest from 1 unwaxed lemon, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, Kosher salt
To assemble the salad, toss the quinoa, blanched asparagus, scallions, peas, dill, and mint in a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
3 scallions, 1 cup shelled peas, ¼ cup fresh mint, ¼ cup fresh dill
Serve the salad chilled or at room temperature with sliced avocado and a handful of toasted almonds.
Notes
If you're in a hurry, spread the cooked quinoa out on a baking sheet in a thin layer and put it into your fridge. It cools much faster this way than it does in a bowl!