Nightshade Free Pomegranate & Mango Quinoa Salad with Mint
Bright, jewel-toned, and bursting 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, while torn fresh mint and a zippy lime-honey dressing keep every bite feeling alive and refreshing. The pumpkin seeds add a satisfying crunch, and the scallion greens (used here instead of the bulb) layer in a gentle savory note without any fuss. Avoiding nightshades can quietly complicate salads and grain bowls, since so many dressings and flavor boosters sneak in paprika, chili, or tomato. Here, the warmth comes entirely from ground turmeric and ginger whisked into the olive oil and lime dressing — bold enough to be interesting, but completely free of the usual suspects. Every ingredient on this list is naturally in the clear, so you can toss it together with total confidence. It works beautifully as a light lunch, a vibrant side at a dinner party, or meal-prepped ahead and eaten straight from the fridge the next day.
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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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