Honey Free Smoky Paprika Quinoa and Mango Salad
This vibrant grain salad is a full-on flavor experience — smoky, citrusy, and just a little sweet from ripe mango, with a satisfying crunch from dry-roasted pepitas scattered over the top. The dressing is built entirely from pantry staples like smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, and fresh lime juice, so there's no need to reach for any sweeteners to make it sing. That matters more than you'd think, because a lot of bottled dressings and store-bought grain salads sneak in honey or agave to balance acidity, leaving you guessing at the label. Here, the natural sweetness of ripe mango does all that work beautifully on its own. Cooling the quinoa properly before tossing everything together is the small step that keeps the grains fluffy and separate rather than clumped and soggy — worth the extra few minutes. The combination of red bell pepper, cucumber, and scallion greens keeps every bite fresh and colorful, making this just as impressive on a dinner table as it is packed into a lunch container. It's the kind of salad that genuinely gets better as the flavors meld, so don't hesitate to make it a little ahead.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the salad
- 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 english cucumber, diced
- 3 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dry-roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
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 water is fully absorbed and the quinoa's 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 5 minutes — the grains should feel dry and separate, not clumped.
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