This is my idea of a perfect Monday salad. It’s healthy, but not in the least bit boring. We have strawberries, avocado, feta, spinach, quinoa, basil and a simple balsamic vinaigrette! SO many delicious flavors and textures. My favorite kind of meal!
I love adding fruit into my salads. The sweet and savory combo always gets me. Apples and strawberries are my favorite. Chopped apples would be delicious in this too!
This meal comes together in no time. If you have extra cooked quinoa on hand, it would take less than 10 minutes. The most time consuming part is cooking the quinoa! And that only takes 15 minutes.
Another way to make this even more delicious (if that’s even possible) is to add baby mozzarella balls. It would be almost like a caprese salad but with strawberries!
If you’re wanting to make this for work lunches, I wouldn’t recommend making it too much ahead of time. The spinach and strawberries can wilt a little after a day or so. If you want to make it ahead of time, it would be best to keep everything separate, and then toss when you’re ready to serve!
I’ve really been into plant-based meals lately. I think when the weather gets warmer, I don’t crave as much meat, which is fine by me! Saves me a few bucks at the grocery store. This would be so delicious with grilled chicken or salmon or even shrimp if you’re looking for a little extra protein.
Quinoa has SO much protein in it. It really adds a lot of staying power to salads which is why I love adding it. It’s super satisfying. And I’m a big fan of the tricolor variety because it’s so pretty!
I made this for my family last weekend and everyone LOVED it. Even the men. Surprising, right? I feel like it’s kind of a “girly” salad..but apparently not!
I wish I had this prepped for lunch today. It’s totally a meal I could never get sick of.
Strawberry Avocado Feta Spinach Quinoa Salad
This strawberry avocado feta spinach quinoa salad is SO delicious and easy! It's perfect for a light lunch or dinner, and is great with grilled chicken too!
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 cup diced strawberries
- 3 cups packed baby spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped, plus extra for serving
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Add water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the quinoa, stir, reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 15-18 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Let cool.
While quinoa is cooking, make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
Once the quinoa has cooled, place in a large bowl. Add the strawberries, spinach, feta, avocado, and basil. Toss to combine. Add the dressing and toss again to combine. Serve with extra chopped basil!
Karly
Yess! Love everything about this salad. So bright and fresh and, I mean, if feta cheese and avocado are involved, it’s gotta be a winner. I cannot wait to try this!
Spices in My DNA
Thank you SO much Karly! I totally agree! Let me know if you try it 🙂