Chicken Free Pesto-Walnut Quinoa Salad with Mango
Bright, herby, and packed with color, this quinoa salad is the kind of bowl that makes plant-forward eating feel genuinely exciting rather than like a compromise. The homemade walnut pesto is the real star — blitzed together with fresh basil, garlic, and lemon juice, it coats every grain of fluffy quinoa in something deeply savory and fragrant. Turmeric adds a warm golden hue that makes the whole dish look almost too pretty to eat. Sweet chunks of ripe mango play beautifully against the peppery arugula and tangy cherry tomatoes, hitting that perfect balance of fresh and satisfying. Because everything here is built from whole grains, produce, nuts, and olive oil, there's no need to swap or substitute a thing — it's naturally free of poultry without any workarounds. Torn mint scattered over the top right before serving adds a final pop of freshness that ties the whole bowl together. Make it ahead for lunch and just hold the arugula until you're ready to eat — it keeps beautifully.
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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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