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    You are here: Home / Salads / Strawberry Summer Quinoa Salad

    Strawberry Summer Quinoa Salad

    Last Updated June 19, 2020. Published May 13, 2020 By Lorie 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Quinoa salad with strawberries.

    Summer salads are always a perfect compliment to the season. This strawberry packed Summer Quinoa Salad is fresh and flavorful. Simple to toss together and includes feta, spinach and a homemade balsamic dressing. A staple salad in our house!

    Strawberry summer quinoa salad in white bowl with serving utensils.

    This recipe was originally published in April 2017. Photos and copy were updated May 2020 to include process photos and more details to help make the recipe.

    When the sun comes out, so do all the berries in my salad. Could do this all summer and more.

    As a kid, I would turn my nose up at all the savory recipes that my mom would add berries to. And here I am now, getting any and all the berries and fruit into my salads and more.

    This Summer Quinoa Salad makes is my simple go to recipe to sit on the patio and kick back with. Do I want to share it? Not really.

    I was once intimidated by quinoa but then I made it and realized how easy it actually is. Do not put it off--just try it. You will be so amazed as well, promise!

    A few years back I had a salad that had strawberries, feta and cilantro--and I was HOOKED. Now you can be hooked as well!

    What you need to make this Salad:

    • New to quinoa? It is super simple to cook up. In fact, it's easier and quicker than making rice! You can buy pre-cooked in the freezer section as well. One cup uncooked comes out to about 3 cups cooked for reference.
    Ingredients to make quinoa salad.

    How to make this recipe:

    • Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing: balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside. (steps 1 and 2)
    • Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. (Pretty typically, it is one cup quinoa to 2 cups water. Combine in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover, lower to a simmer for about 20 minutes plus or minus. Done! Just want you to know it is super simple.)
    • Toss the quinoa straight from the pot into a bowl with the spinach and stir to allow the spinach to wilt. (steps 3 and 4)
    Dressing ingredients in small bowl along with quinoa and spinach in mixing bowl.
    • Add the onion, cilantro, and dressing and toss to combine. (steps 5 and 6)
    • Add in the strawberries and feta and toss to combine. You are all set! Chill until you are ready to enjoy! (steps 7 and 8)
    Process photos to put together strawberry quinoa salad.

    Notes:

    • I do not suggest making this salad too far in advance. You can prep all of the ingredients in advance, especially the dressing. The strawberries lose color and bleed into the salad after even half a day and I don't find it to be the prettiest. If you must prep it ahead of time, toss everything but the strawberries in until serving.
    • I like to add an extra drizzle of olive oil and toss the salad before serving if it sits for more than a few hours.
    • Feel free to add some grilled chicken on top and make this one a full meal!
    Quinoa salad in white serving bowl with napkin.

    Try these other simple salad recipes:

    • Tomato Basil Pasta Salad
    • Cucumber Feta Quinoa Salad
    • Simple Pasta Salad with Lemon Grilled Zucchini
    • Strawberry Arugula Goat Cheese Salad with Pretzel Crusted Chicken
    • Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

    DID YOU MAKE ONE OF MY RECIPES? LEAVE A COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW! I ALSO LOVE TO SEE YOUR LEMONS + ZEST RECIPES ON SOCIAL MEDIA–TAG ME @LEMONSANDZEST ON INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK!

    Strawberry Summer Quinoa Salad

    Summer salads are always a perfect compliment to the season. This strawberry packed Summer Quinoa Salad is fresh and flavorful. Simple to toss together and includes feta, spinach and a homemade balsamic dressing. A staple salad in our house!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 316kcal
    Author: Lorie Yarro

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup quinoa uncooked
    • 1 ½ cup baby spinach
    • 1 pint sliced fresh strawberries
    • ¼ cup red onion thinly chopped
    • 1 - 2 garlic cloves minced
    • 1 cup feta cheese crumbles
    • 3 T balsamic vinegar
    • ⅓ c olive oil
    • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
    • ½ teaspoon cracked pepper
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions

    • Slice and chop ingredients and set aside. Whisk together balsamic, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
    • When quinoa is fully cooked, toss it over the spinach in a large mixing bowl and allow for the spinach to wilt as you stir.
    • Add onion, cilantro and dressing and toss to combine.
    • Stir in feta and strawberries.
    • Chill for about 20-30 minutes before eating. (Unless you are like me, I ate it from the mixing bowl!)

    Notes

    • I do not suggest making this salad too far in advance. You can prep all of the ingredients in advance, especially the dressing. The strawberries lose color and bleed into the salad after even half a day and I don't find it to be the prettiest. If you must prep it ahead of time, toss everything but the strawberries in until serving.
    • I like to add an extra drizzle of olive oil and toss the salad before serving if it sits for more than a few hours.
    • Feel free to add some grilled chicken on top and make this one a full meal!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 484mg | Potassium: 362mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 878IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you try this recipe? I would love to see it! Mention @LemonsAndZest or tag #LemonsAndZest!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Melinda Muyargas says

      July 11, 2020 at 10:21 pm

      5 stars
      This was really good, thanks! I didn't have balsamic vinegar, so I put in about 1 Tbsp lemon juice instead. I also used regular yellow/white onions instead of red, and that was fine. And I didn't use ALL the strawberries because it seemed like a LOT. But anyway, it was great! We had it with some salmon and egg.

      Reply
      • Lorie says

        July 19, 2020 at 10:56 am

        Good to know that the lemon juice worked well. Red wine vinegar is another good option sometimes. Thanks so much for sharing!

        Reply

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    Hello! I’m Lorie, welcome to lemons + zest! If you love to eat, and you love delicious, simple recipes, then you are in the right place. When it comes to cooking these days, I firmly believe that if it takes too long, or too much work to make, then it’s not for me. Read More…

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