Strawberry Feta Quinoa Salad (Print Version)

A fresh mix of strawberries, feta, quinoa, spinach, and balsamic for a light, flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water

→ Vegetables & Fruits

03 - 1½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
04 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
05 - ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - ½ cup cucumber, diced

→ Dairy

07 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Nuts & Seeds

08 - ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water. Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine cooled quinoa, strawberries, spinach, red onion, cucumber, and feta cheese.
04 - Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
05 - Top with toasted sliced almonds immediately before serving for optimal crunch and presentation.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in 30 minutes flat, which means you can make it on a random Tuesday when you want something special but can't spend all evening cooking.
  • The combination of warm quinoa with cold, crisp vegetables and sweet strawberries feels like spring in a bowl, no matter what season it actually is.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free without feeling like you're missing anything or compromising on flavor.
02 -
  • If you add the dressing too far ahead, the spinach will wilt and the strawberries will start bleeding color into everything—the salad is actually better if you dress it right when you're ready to eat.
  • Toasted almonds make an enormous difference compared to raw ones, and you can toast them in a dry skillet in the time it takes to chop your vegetables.
03 -
  • Don't skimp on the rinsing step for quinoa—it removes a natural coating called saponin that tastes bitter and soapy if you miss it.
  • Room temperature quinoa salad tastes infinitely better than straight-from-the-fridge cold, so pull it out a few minutes before eating if it's been sitting in the fridge.
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