High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Pomegranate & Mango Quinoa Salad with Mint
Bright, jewel-toned, and packed with contrasting textures, this quinoa salad is the kind of dish that looks like you spent way more effort than you actually did. Juicy mango and ruby pomegranate arils bring natural sweetness that needs absolutely no help from processed sweeteners, making this a genuinely clean, feel-good bowl. The dressing is where things get quietly brilliant — just olive oil, fresh lime juice, a touch of raw honey, and warm spices like turmeric and ginger whisked together into something vibrant and tangy. So many store-bought dressings and packaged grain salads sneak in high fructose corn syrup as a cheap sweetener, but every single ingredient here is whole and straightforward. Torn fresh mint and sliced scallion greens keep the flavor lively, while pumpkin seeds add a satisfying crunch that makes this feel like a complete meal rather than a side. Letting the quinoa cool before tossing is a small but important step that keeps the salad light and fluffy instead of clumped and heavy. Whether you're serving it as a lunch, a potluck contribution, or a colorful weeknight side, this one earns its place at the table every single time.
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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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