Legume Free Quinoa Avocado Salad with Turmeric Lemon Dressing
Bright, fresh, and packed with texture, this grain-and-vegetable salad is the kind of bowl that makes you feel genuinely good after eating it. Creamy diced avocado, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and a double hit of fresh herbs come together over fluffy quinoa for something that feels both light and satisfying. The real star is the turmeric lemon dressing — earthy, citrusy, and just a little warming from ground ginger — which ties every element together beautifully. Crunchy dry-roasted pumpkin seeds finish the whole thing off with a nutty bite that keeps each forkful interesting. For anyone navigating a legume-free lifestyle, salads can be a minefield of hidden chickpeas, lentils, or edamame, but every single ingredient here is naturally in the clear. Quinoa steps in as the hearty base, delivering protein and substance without relying on any beans or pulses whatsoever. The technique of spreading the cooked quinoa out to cool before dressing it is a small but smart move that keeps the grains fluffy and prevents the avocado from turning mushy. Make the dressing while the quinoa cools and this comes together with very little fuss — a genuinely weeknight-friendly bowl that looks impressive enough for company.
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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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