Lactose Free Smoky Paprika Quinoa and Mango Salad
This vibrant grain salad is a serious crowd-pleaser, layering sweet ripe mango, crisp cucumber, and colorful bell pepper over fluffy quinoa with a bold, smoky-citrus dressing that ties everything together. The smoked paprika and cumin give the lime vinaigrette a warm, almost grilled depth that makes each bite feel way more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Every single component here is naturally free of dairy, so there's no swapping, substituting, or label-checking required — just fresh, whole ingredients doing their thing. Cooling the quinoa properly before tossing is the small but important step that keeps the grains light and separate rather than clumped and heavy. The pepitas scattered on top add a satisfying crunch and a little nutty richness that rounds out the texture beautifully. It works as a standalone lunch, a side dish at a summer cookout, or meal-prepped ahead and pulled from the fridge — just hold the pumpkin seeds until you're ready to serve so they stay perfectly crisp.
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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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