Strawberry Arugula Quinoa Salad

This quinoa salad with fresh strawberries, arugula, toasted almonds, mint and a citrus vinaigrette tastes like spring in a bowl.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated December 17, 2022
Elise Bauer
Strawberry Arugula Quinoa Salad
Elise Bauer

When I first encountered strawberries in a green salad years ago I didn't quite know what to make of it.

They're red, but they're not tomatoes, what are they doing there?

One bite and I was a convert! Strawberries are juicy, tart, and sweet and make a playful addition to salads of all kinds, including a quinoa salad.

Our quinoa salad is pretty straightforward but with layers of flavor. There's the nutty quinoa base, with a zesty orange vinaigrette. Baby arugula provides a peppery green.

There are toasted almonds for crunch, and sliced green onions for the necessary allium. Interspersed are chunks of ripe strawberries for the wow factor.

Perfect for a potluck gathering or a festive lunch. Enjoy!

Strawberry Arugula Quinoa Salad

Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 servings

If making in advance, you can dress the quinoa in advance, and then toss in the rest of the ingredients right before serving.

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa

  • 2 cups water

  • 10 strawberries, cored and quartered

  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

  • 2 to 3 green onions, thinly sliced

  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint

  • 2 cups of baby arugula

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 tablespoon orange zest

  • 3 tablespoons orange juice

  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  • Pinch salt

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Cook the quinoa:

    Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. (If no package instructions, put 1 cup of uncooked quinoa into a saucepan with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes covered, then fluff with a fork.)

  2. Make vinaigrette:

    Place the vinaigrette ingredients into a jar and shake to emulsify.

  3. Cool the quinoa:

    When the quinoa is cooked, spread it out on a baking sheet to cool quickly.

  4. Toss the quinoa with vinaigrette, add remaining ingredients:

    When the quinoa has cooled, place into a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Then toss with the strawberries, almonds, green onions, mint, and arugula.

    Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
284 Calories
13g Fat
36g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 284
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 47mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 38mg 191%
Calcium 79mg 6%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 457mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.