Alpha Gal Friendly Quinoa Avocado Salad with Turmeric Lemon Dressing
This vibrant, plant-forward salad is exactly the kind of meal that proves eating without mammalian meat or dairy doesn't mean sacrificing flavor or satisfaction. Creamy diced avocado, crisp cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, and fluffy quinoa come together in a bowl that's as beautiful as it is filling. The real star is the golden turmeric-lemon dressing — bright, a little earthy, and laced with fresh ginger and garlic — which ties every ingredient together in the best possible way. Crunchy dry-roasted pumpkin seeds add a satisfying finish and a boost of plant-based protein that keeps this dish genuinely hearty. Every single ingredient here is naturally free from the mammalian products that can make navigating menus and packaged foods so exhausting, so there's no label-reading anxiety involved. Spreading the cooked quinoa out to cool before assembling is a small but smart step that keeps the salad fresh and prevents the avocado from turning mushy. Serve it right away for peak texture, or prep the components ahead and fold everything together just before eating.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 english cucumber, diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dry-roasted pumpkin seeds
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1½ lemons)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the rinsed quinoa, water, and ¼ tsp salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed and the quinoa tails have unfurled.
- 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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