Strawberry Quinoa Salad

This strawberry quinoa salad is drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and is packed full of fresh flavors that make it a great salad for the summer months! It’s perfect for picnics, parties, or even makes a great on-the-go meal because it is a great source of protein! 

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We are approaching my favorite time of year, summer! Sweet strawberries are in season, and a healthy salad is a great option for a meal or a side for a party! One of my favorite things to make is a simple balsamic vinaigrette paired with a summer quinoa salad. Yum.  

This delicious salad is packed full of healthy fats and has high protein content with minimal ingredients. There is savory feta cheese (or cheese of your choice like tangy goat cheese), nuts and seeds, and fresh strawberries. Quinoa is my favorite protein because of how versatile it can be.

Spring and summer seasons are great times to make healthy recipes because the weather is hot and I feel like we are more active! I love the big flavor a salad brings to a meal, and I love that it can serve as a meal replacement (especially for this busy mama!) My personal preference when it comes to salads is quinoa salads because of the plant-based protein they bring. 

This strawberry quinoa salad is my all-time favorite salad to make (right in front of strawberry spinach salad), so I thought it was fitting to write a blog post right before Memorial day weekend! This is the perfect salad to bring to any get-together because it is both sweet and savory and can be left at room temperature safely. 

Strawberry Quinoa Salad Recipe Ingredients

I love how minimal the ingredients are, yet they deliver the maximum amount of flavor and nutrients. Winning. 

• Quinoa
• Strawberries
• Sunflower Seeds & Walnuts
• Feta Cheese
• Arugula
• Avocado

I love that these 6 ingredients contain a wonderful mix of both sweet and very savory flavors to the salad. You can change the ingredients up to your liking and add any fresh berries of choice, fresh basil, red onion, lemon zest, fresh mint, or even baby kale to make it your own. The opportunities are truly endless. It also stores wonderfully for about 4 days!

DON’T FORGET THE SALAD DRESSING

Many times store-bought salad dressings are full of unhealthy fats and unnecessary calories. Homemade dressings can be complicated to make due to the unique ingredients usually needed. This dressing is simple. 

Add in some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and a touch of honey for sweetness. A delicious strawberry always pairs nicely with a touch of balsamic vinegar so this dressing truly does make the dish excellent!

This healthy salad contains no meat as you already noticed, so it is entirely vegetarian. It doesn’t lack any nutrients though. Packed to the brim with vitamin C and protein to make it a main dish just about or a great side dish! There are no rules though, so if you want to add in some grilled chicken go for it!

TOOLS YOU MAY NEED

• Large salad bowl
• Small bowl for the dressing ingredients
• Medium saucepan for quinoa (small saucepan works fine too)
• Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
• Knife and cutting board to cut avocado and strawberries
• Colander for draining quinoa

HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY STRAWBERRY QUINOA SALAD

• Start by preparing your quinoa. In a medium saucepan placed over medium high heat take one cup of dry quinoa and add it to 2 cups of water. Reduce the heat down to medium low and cook for around 15 minutes. Drain the warm quinoa in a colander.

• Add the quinoa to a large bowl and add in the strawberries, avocado, and feta cheese. Toss and combine well. 
• In a small bowl combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt + pepper, and honey and stir well until completely combined.

• Combine to the quinoa mixture and top with walnuts + sunflower seeds and enjoy!

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Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Feta Cheese + Avacado

This sweet yet tangy strawberry quinoa salad is loaded with plant based proteins, healthy fats, and flavor.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword easy strawberry quinoa salad, Strawberry quinoa salad

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• Large salad bowl
• Small bowl for the dressing ingredients
• Medium saucepan for quinoa (small saucepan works fine too)
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Knife and cutting board to cut avocado and strawberries
• Colander for draining quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 cup Soaked + cooked quinoa I like to soak my quinoa at least 30 minutes before cooking it.
• 3-4 cups Arugula Spinach works well too!
• 1/4 cup Walnuts
• 1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
• 1/2 Pitted avocado sliced
• 1 Cup Sliced strawberries
• 1 Cup Feta Cheese

The Dressing

• 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 2-3 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tsp. Honey

Instructions

• Start by preparing your quinoa. In a medium saucepan placed over medium high heat take one cup of dry quinoa and add it to 2 cups of water. Reduce the heat down to medium low and cook for around 15 minutes. Drain the warm quinoa in a colander.
• Add the quinoa to a large bowl and add in the strawberries, avocado and feta cheese. Toss and combine well.
• In a small bowl combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt + pepper, and honey and stir well until completely combined.
• Combine to the quinoa mixture and top with walnuts + sunflower seeds and enjoy!