Coconut Free Pesto-Walnut Quinoa Salad with Mango
This vibrant grain salad is a serious crowd-pleaser — bright, herbaceous, and packed with contrasting textures that make every forkful interesting. The homemade walnut pesto is the real star here: blended with fresh basil, garlic, and a generous squeeze of lemon, it coats every grain of fluffy quinoa in something deeply savory and fragrant. Sweet diced mango and juicy cherry tomatoes cut right through the richness, while peppery arugula and thinly sliced red onion keep things lively. A pinch of turmeric adds a warm golden hue and a subtle earthiness that ties the whole bowl together beautifully. Because everything is made from scratch — no jarred sauces, no packaged dressings — you have complete control over what goes in, which is a genuine relief when you're navigating hidden ingredients in store-bought products. It works just as well as a make-ahead lunch as it does a showstopping side at a summer gathering, and the optional torn mint on top is a finishing touch worth taking.
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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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