Lupin Free Quinoa Avocado Salad with Turmeric Lemon Dressing
This vibrant grain salad is a celebration of fresh, whole ingredients — creamy avocado, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and fluffy quinoa all tossed together with handfuls of bright parsley and mint. The real star is the turmeric lemon dressing, which brings a warm, golden hue and a zippy, slightly earthy flavor that ties every component together beautifully. Dry-roasted pumpkin seeds add a satisfying crunch in every bite, making this feel like a complete, nourishing meal rather than a simple side. Lupin — a legume increasingly found in flour blends, pasta, and packaged salad kits — is entirely absent here, so you can dig in without scanning labels or second-guessing anything. Every ingredient is straightforward and naturally whole, which is exactly what makes this kind of recipe so reliable. The technique is simple too: cook the quinoa, let it cool properly so it stays fluffy rather than clumping, whisk the dressing, and fold everything together gently at the end to keep those avocado pieces intact. It's the kind of salad that looks impressive on the table but comes together with minimal fuss.
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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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