Sweet Heat Tropical Quinoa Salad
Updated Apr. 29th, 2024
It’s time to bring the taste of the islands to your dinner plate! Gone are the days when you thought quinoa had to just be savory – thankfully while this recipe is, it adds a much needed sweetness to your dinner that you never thought possible. Enjoy this as your lunch or bring it as your plus one to a BBQ potluck to ensure everyone gawks over your dish first!
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
- Egg Free
- Vegetarian
Ingredients:
| quinoa | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup quinoa, rinsed | 2 cups filtered water |
| salad | ||
|---|---|---|
| ½ papaya, peeled, seeded and diced | ¼ cup raw pecans, chopped | ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped |
| 2 kiwis, peeled and diced | 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds |
| dressing | ||
|---|---|---|
| ¼ cup papaya seeds | 1 clove garlic, minced | ½ teaspoon lemon rind |
| ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil | 1 teaspoon gluten-free dijon mustard | salt |
| ¼ cup lemon juice | 1 tablespoon agave nectar | pinch of red pepper flakes |
Directions
- Cooking your quinoa first is best, because it can sit and cool while the rest is being prepared. Add your water and quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once it boils, reduce heat so it is more of a simmer, and cover with a lid. Do not lift the lid. Let the quinoa simmer for 10-15 minutes or until you suspect all the liquid is gone. Set aside with cover still on. If you can’t help but be nosey and lift the lid, use a fork to fluff.
- Get to work on the salad aspect. Washing, chopping and placing all of these ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Easily make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients into a blender and pulsing, until everything is thoroughly mixed. You can also do this by hand with a whisk if you prefer.
- Mix your quinoa into your large salad bowl, and slowly toss in the dressing. Stirring regularly to ensure everything is coated.
- Serve warm, or cold – either way it is delicious
Make It This Way
If you’re not a fan of papaya (it does have a distinct taste) try swapping it out for another tropical fruit, such as mango or pineapple. You can also substitute the kiwi for either of the tropical fruits as well.
If you don’t have quinoa and have been more on a millet kick, you can easily substitute the two.
Try This
If you aren’t eating this salad right away, feel free to leave it in the fridge for up to three days. Just keep the dressing in a separate container and simply stir and add when you are ready to eat!
This healthy recipe for a sweet heat tropical quinoa salad is such a creative idea! I would have never thought of adding fruit to my quinoa so I would be so eager to try this and bring it as a lunch or a side dish! I love papaya and summer is the perfect season for it in my opinion so I love how this incorporates a lot of summer favourites into it while still making it filling with the quinoa!
Hello Oli,
Indeed, mixing flavours is delicious, but are not always obvious pairings. This recipe offers many flavours which are definitely nice in the summer time to share with friends & family.
Enjoy!
Sweet heat is an interesting comment! I think everybody has enjoyed "salty-sweet". This is kind of unrelated but this recipe makes me want to try to sprinkle some spice like paprika (or chilli peppers for more intensity...or both since I like the flavor o paprika better than most other pepper) on papaya. Papaya is one of my favorite fruits since, in my opinion, when you freeze it, it tastes like a candy. I think that some spice on fresh-out-of-the reezer papaya would be divine!