Anti Inflammatory Pesto-Walnut Quinoa Salad with Mango

Total time45 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time15 min

Anti Inflammatory Pesto-Walnut Quinoa Salad with Mango

Bright, herby, and just a little bit tropical, this quinoa salad is the kind of bowl that makes eating well feel genuinely exciting. The homemade walnut-basil pesto is blended with fresh lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil — two ingredients well-regarded for their role in a low-inflammation approach to eating — and it coats every grain of fluffy quinoa beautifully. Raw walnuts bring healthy fats and a subtle richness to the pesto, while a pinch of turmeric stirred into the quinoa adds a warm golden hue and a quiet earthy note. Juicy diced mango and halved cherry tomatoes keep things fresh and vibrant, and the peppery baby arugula adds just enough bite to balance all that sweetness. A final drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon tie the whole thing together before it hits the table. It serves four and comes together in well under an hour, making it a genuinely realistic weeknight option. Torn fresh mint on top is optional, but highly recommended — it takes the whole dish somewhere unexpectedly lovely.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the quinoa

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
¼ tsp salt

For the pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
½ cup raw walnuts
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
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¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the salad

1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced (about 1 ½ cups)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups baby arugula
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
¼ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

For serving

2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the rinsed quinoa, water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water is fully absorbed and the quinoa tails have unfurled, about 12–14 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and spread onto a large plate or sheet pan to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
2
While the quinoa cools, make the pesto: combine the basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until coarsely chopped. With the machine running, drizzle in the 1/4 cup olive oil and process until the pesto is mostly smooth with a little texture remaining, scraping down the sides once.

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