Healthy and Delicious Mango Date Quinoa Salad

If you love a good, hearty salad that actually tastes delicious then this Mango Date Quinoa Salad is for you! It is healthy and nourishing but packed with delicious flavors that you won’t be able to get enough of. Add this Salad to your Summer menu and thank me later 😉

During those warm Summer months, there is nothing better than a refreshing salad, loaded with goodness! This Mango and Date Quinoa Salad uses healthy ingredients and can be thrown together in under thirty minutes. It is sweet, salty, crunchy and everything you could want in a good salad.

Quinoa salads are so great because they can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for quick and easy lunch or dinner. They almost taste better the longer they sit in the refrigerator as it allows all of those flavors to really meld together!

Tips for Making Mango Date Quinoa Salad Perfect Everytime

1. If you have the time, cook the quinoa ahead of time and allow it to cool before adding to the salad. This will help keep all of the fruit and vegetables fresh and crisp when mixing everything together.
2. Use fresh, ripe ingredients! When making a good salad, your salad is only going to be as good as your ingredients. Opt for juicy, ripe mango for optimal sweetness and soft avocado for creaminess.
3. Once you mix the salad together, allow it to sit in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes if possible. This allows everything to get nice and cold, and for all of the flavor to meld together and give you an even tastier salad.

Mango Date Quinoa Salad Ingredients

Quinoa– You can use regular quinoa or tri colored quinoa. I love the way tri colored quinoa looks in a salad.

Mango– Use fresh, ripe mango that is soft so that you get optimal sweetness in your salad.

Red Onion– This adds a perfect bit of bite to the salad.

Avocado– The creaminess of ripe avocado pairs so well with the juicy, sweet mango.

Dates– Make sure your dates are pitted and fresh so that they are soft. If you do not have dates you could sub with something like raisins.

Pumpkin Seeds– These add a delicious and slaty crunch to the quinoa salad.

Cucumber– Any kind of cucumber works in this salad.

Cabbage– Purple cabbage is what I recommend for the vibrant color and more mild flavor. This adds a great crunch to the quinoa salad as well.

Feta Cheese– The cherry on top that adds the perfect salty component to round out this sweet and creamy salad.

Olive oil– This is the base of the salad dressing. You can use a neitral oil like avocado oil if you prefer.

Apple Cider Vinegar– The slight fruity flavor of this works so well in this salad. If you don’t have any, a red wine vinegar would work well too.

Maple Syrup– Adds a touch of sweetness to the balance out the acidity in the dressing. Sub with honey if you need to.

Garlic- Fresh garlic enhances all the flavors and brings a bit of bite to the salad.

Lemon– Use fresh squeezed lemon juice for a fresh, vibrant finish to this salad.

The Steps

1.Start by cooking the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Once cooked, place in a bowl and refrigerate while you chop all of the vegetables.

2. Chop all of the remaining salad ingredients into small, bite sized pieces and add to a large bowl.

3. Next, add all of the dressing ingredients to a jar or small bowl and whisk until smooth.

4. Finally, add the chilled quinoa to the bowl of vegetables and salad ingredients, then pour over the dressing and toss everthing together until well mixed.

5. Serve this salad as is or top with grilled chicken for a perfect, balanced meal, Enjoy!

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below or a recipe review and let me know what you think 🙂

Looking for more delicious salads to try?

https://cmbarndominium.com/healthy-sesame-mango-noodle-salad/

https://cmbarndominium.com/quick-and-healthy-blackened-chicken-salad-with-sweet-potato/

https://cmbarndominium.com/fresh-lemon-asparagus-sourdough-pasta-salad/