Tropical Mango Avocado Quinoa (Printable Version)

Vibrant mango, creamy avocado, quinoa, and zesty lime dressing combine for a fresh tropical salad.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ 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

# Steps:

01 - Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cool completely.
02 - Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, maple syrup, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Set aside.
03 - Transfer cooled quinoa to a large bowl and add mango, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, and cilantro.
04 - Pour lime dressing over salad and gently toss to combine, taking care to avoid mashing the avocado pieces.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours to allow flavors to develop.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually feels like eating something indulgent even though it's packed with protein and real nutrients.
  • You can throw it together in under thirty minutes, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a chore.
  • The flavors get brighter as it sits, so you can make it ahead and taste the difference when hunger hits later.
02 -
  • Adding avocado too early means it oxidizes and turns that sad brownish color, so slice and add it at the absolute last moment.
  • The lime dressing should taste slightly too tart on its own because the vegetables and grain will balance it out once everything sits together.
03 -
  • Rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold running water while rubbing it gently with your fingers, which removes more of the bitter coating than just pouring water over it.
  • Make the dressing in the small bowl where you'll whisk it instead of in a jar, because whisking by hand lets you feel when the oil is actually emulsifying with the lime juice instead of just sitting on top.
Go Back