Peach Salad with Quinoa, Arugula, and Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette
Peach Salad with Quinoa is a refreshing summer salad made with juicy peaches, peppery arugula, fluffy quinoa, creamy goat cheese, toasted almonds, and a homemade lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. It's healthy, colorful, and ready in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup water
- 3 cups packed arugula
- 1 medium peach thinly sliced
- ½ cup thinly sliced Persian or mini cucumber
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds toasted
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
For the Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water using a fine-mesh strainer.
- In a saucepan, combine the quinoa and water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10–15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from the heat and let the quinoa rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow it to cool.
- Meanwhile, toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–6 minutes, stirring frequently until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, diced shallots, Dijon mustard, honey, and salt until well combined.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, arugula, sliced peaches, cucumber, red onion, goat cheese, toasted almonds, and chopped mint.
- Pour the lemon-Dijon vinaigrette over the salad just before serving.
- Toss gently until everything is evenly coated and serve immediately.
Notes
- Nectarines can easily replace peaches.
- Feta cheese is a delicious substitute for goat cheese.
- Pecans or walnuts work well in place of almonds.
- Add avocado for an extra creamy texture.
- This salad pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, salmon, or turkey