Artificial Food Coloring Free Pomegranate & Mango Quinoa Salad with Mint
Bright, jewel-toned, and bursting with natural sweetness, this quinoa salad is the kind of dish that makes a stunning centerpiece without a drop of anything artificial. Every color on the plate comes straight from real food — the ruby pop of pomegranate arils, the golden glow of ripe mango, and the warm amber tint of turmeric in the dressing. For anyone navigating synthetic dyes in packaged foods, this recipe is a genuine breath of fresh air because every single ingredient is whole and unprocessed. The dressing is whisked together from scratch using lime juice, olive oil, raw honey, and ground spices, so there are no mystery additives hiding in a bottled sauce. Fluffy quinoa gives the salad satisfying body, while fresh mint and scallion greens keep things lively and aromatic. Crunchy raw pumpkin seeds round out the texture, making each bite feel complete. It's the kind of clean, vibrant bowl you'll want to make on repeat all summer long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- 3 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tsp raw honey
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Combine the rinsed quinoa, water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the quinoa has absorbed all the water and the germ rings are visible, about 13–15 minutes.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the quinoa steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and spread onto a large plate or sheet pan to cool for at least 10 minutes until no longer steaming.
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