Tropical Mango Avocado Quinoa Salad (Printable)

Refreshing mango, creamy avocado, and quinoa merged with lime for a bright, nutritious dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water

→ Fruits & Vegetables

03 - 1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced
04 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Lime Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, maple syrup or honey, cumin, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, add the cooled quinoa, mango, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, and cilantro.
04 - Pour the lime dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine, being careful not to mash the avocado.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under thirty-five minutes, which means you can actually make it on a Tuesday night without losing your mind.
  • The lime dressing hits differently with the cumin—it's simple enough to remember but special enough to make people ask what you did.
  • Everything stays fresh and doesn't get soggy, so you can prep it ahead and it actually tastes better the next day.
02 -
  • Avocado browns quickly once it's cut and exposed to air, so unless you're serving immediately, leave the pit in one half and cut it as close to eating time as possible.
  • The dressing is bold by design—the lime and cumin are supposed to stand out, so don't water it down or make it mild.
03 -
  • Wash and dry your cilantro before chopping, and add it right at the end so it stays bright and fragrant instead of getting bruised in the bowl.
  • If you're worried about the avocado browning, toss it with a tiny squeeze of lime juice separately, then fold it in just before serving.
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