Red Meat Allergy Friendly Pesto-Walnut Quinoa Salad with Mango
This vibrant grain salad is a riot of color and flavor — golden turmeric-kissed quinoa, juicy mango, sweet cherry tomatoes, and peppery arugula all brought together with a bright, herby walnut pesto. The homemade pesto skips the usual pine nuts in favor of raw walnuts blended with fresh basil, garlic, and lemon juice, giving you a creamy, nutty sauce that clings beautifully to every grain. Because the entire dish is built around plants, grains, and healthy fats, there's no red meat anywhere in sight — not even a trace — making it a genuinely stress-free choice for anyone managing that allergy. The turmeric adds a warm, earthy undertone that plays surprisingly well against the sweetness of ripe mango, and a finishing scatter of torn mint lifts the whole bowl. It comes together in a straightforward sequence — cook the quinoa, blitz the pesto, toss everything — so the process is as relaxed as the result. This one also holds up well in the fridge, making it a smart option for meal prep or a next-day lunch that still tastes fresh and lively.
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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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