Tropical Mango Avocado Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)

Vibrant blend of mango, avocado, quinoa, and lime dressing for a refreshing and healthy meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water

→ Fruits & Vegetables

03 - 1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced
04 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Lime Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, maple syrup, cumin, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, add the cooled quinoa, mango, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, and cilantro.
04 - Pour the lime dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine, being careful not to mash the avocado.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can have lunch on the table before you've finished your coffee.
  • The lime dressing is so good you'll find yourself making extra just to drizzle on roasted vegetables later in the week.
  • It tastes even better the next day once the flavors have gotten to know each other, perfect for meal prep.
02 -
  • If you add the avocado before the dressing, it will brown where it's exposed to air, turning an unappealing gray-green and tasting slightly bitter by the time you eat it.
  • Quinoa that hasn't cooled all the way will continue cooking slightly from its own heat, so don't skip that cooling step no matter how hungry you are.
03 -
  • Make the dressing first and let it sit while you prep the vegetables so the flavors have time to come together.
  • If you need to transport this salad, pack the avocado separately and add it right before eating to keep it from browning.
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