Brazil Nut Free Pesto-Walnut Quinoa Salad with Mango
This vibrant grain salad is a full-on flavor party — herby walnut pesto clings to every grain of fluffy quinoa, while juicy mango and cherry tomatoes bring a bright, tropical sweetness that makes the whole bowl sing. A handful of peppery arugula and a whisper of turmeric round things out with color and depth, and a scatter of fresh mint on top takes it somewhere genuinely special. The homemade pesto here is built entirely from basil, raw walnuts, garlic, and lemon juice, so you know exactly what's going in — no mystery blends, no shared-facility guesswork, no brazil nuts hiding anywhere in the mix. Walnuts do all the heavy lifting in the pesto, delivering that rich, nutty body you want without any of the tree nuts you're trying to avoid. The whole thing comes together in stages that are easy to manage: cook and cool the quinoa, blitz the pesto, toss everything together. It works beautifully as a make-ahead lunch since the dressed quinoa holds up well in the fridge — just keep the arugula separate until you're ready to eat. Fresh, satisfying, and genuinely craveable, this is the kind of salad that converts people who think salads can't be a real meal.
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Learn more →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)
- 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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