Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Feta Recipe
A fresh and vibrant Strawberry Quinoa Salad with creamy feta, ripe avocado, crunchy pistachios, and a zesty homemade dressing. Perfect as a light lunch or a colorful side dish, this salad combines wholesome quinoa with sweet strawberries and savory flavors for a nutritious and delicious meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa (or 3 cups cooked quinoa)
- 2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
- 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
- 1 large ripe avocado, pitted and diced
- 1 cup raw unsalted pistachios
- ½ small red onion, diced
- ¼ cup fresh chopped basil
- 1½ cups shredded kale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Dressing Ingredients
- ½ cup light olive oil or avocado oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
- 2–3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Instructions
- Cook the Quinoa: Rinse 1 cup of quinoa under cold water using a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Add rinsed quinoa to a medium saucepan with 1¾ cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Fluff quinoa with a fork and let it cool almost completely. Alternatively, use 3 cups of pre-cooked quinoa.
- Prepare the Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, hulled and halved strawberries, crumbled or cubed feta cheese, diced avocado, raw unsalted pistachios, diced red onion, and chopped fresh basil.
- Massage the Kale: Toss the shredded kale with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Using your fingers, gently rub the oil into the kale leaves to soften their texture and make them more tender and easier to eat. Add the massaged kale to the salad bowl.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup light olive oil or avocado oil, ¼ cup white wine or champagne vinegar, 2 to 3 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons poppy seeds, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground mustard, and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise until well combined and emulsified.
- Toss and Serve: Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad. Toss everything thoroughly to ensure the dressing coats all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately for the best texture or refrigerate and store for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Rinsing quinoa is important to remove its natural bitter coating called saponin.
- Massaging kale softens its fibrous leaves making it more palatable in salads.
- You can substitute the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for a lighter dressing variation.
- This salad can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days but is best fresh.
- Feel free to swap pistachios with walnuts or almonds if preferred.
