Chestnut Free Quinoa Avocado Salad with Turmeric Lemon Dressing
This vibrant grain salad is the kind of bowl that looks like you spent way more effort than you actually did. Fluffy quinoa gets tossed with creamy avocado, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and a double hit of fresh herbs that makes every bite feel alive. The real star is the turmeric lemon dressing — bright, golden, and lightly spiced with ginger and garlic — which ties the whole thing together in a way that feels both nourishing and genuinely craveable. Pumpkin seeds add a satisfying crunch without relying on tree nuts of any kind, so anyone navigating nut-related restrictions can dig in with total confidence. The ingredient list is naturally free of chestnuts and chestnut-derived products, which can sneak into unexpected places in store-bought dressings and grain mixes. Cooling the quinoa before assembling is a small but important step that keeps the avocado from going mushy and the herbs from wilting into the bowl. Serve it right away for the freshest texture, or prep the components ahead and dress it 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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