Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Peas, Avocado & Lemon Basil Dressing

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Spring Quinoa Salad Recipe

It is spring, right? I think it is, but mother nature is telling me otherwise. It’s been cold and we’ve even had snow in Utah this week. Yes, snow, the white stuff that I wish would go away until Christmas day. We’ve been cooped up inside this week-no park, no runs, and no walks. Poor little Caleb is itching to get outside to play. I hope the weather cheers up soon!

I’ve been trying to think spring all week. I did some spring cleaning and spring cooking. I made a Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Peas, Avocado and Lemon Basil Dressing this week. I didn’t even care it was snowing outside while I was eating my spring salad. The spring flavors made me forget all about the winter weather.

Spring Quinoa Salad Recipe on twopeasandtheirpod.com Quinoa salad with asparagus, peas, avocado, and a simple lemon basil dressing. We LOVE this healthy salad!

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I think this is my new favorite quinoa salad. I love our Asian Quinoa Salad, but this salad is giving it a run for it’s money! I am smitten by this salad! I love everything about it!

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First of all, it’s easy to make. Second, look at all of the green! Third, there are peas involved-yay for peas! And finally, it is healthy and fresh! Swimsuit season is around the corner so I am trying to focus on healthy eating.

Well, I was trying until my dad came to visit and made his famous cinnamon rolls. So maybe I should say I am trying to focus on balance. Healthy eating, exercise, cinnamon rolls, and cookies. They can all play nicely together. After stuffing my face with a big fat cinnamon roll, I redeemed myself by eating this healthy salad for dinner…and I worked out extra hard the next morning. It’s all about balance.

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This salad fits the bill for the healthy eating part. It is loaded with healthy ingredients! Quinoa, asparagus, peas, avocado, and a light lemon basil dressing. It’s gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan, if you use agave nectar instead of honey in the dressing. This salad is great as a main dish or served as a side. It is also great served warm or chilled. See, this salad is a winner all around!

Think spring and make Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Peas, Avocado & Lemon Basil Dressing!

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Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Peas, Avocados & Lemon Basil Dressing

A fresh, healthy, and easy salad for spring!
4.59 from 12 votes

Ingredients
  

For the Dressing:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the salad:

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 small bunch asparagus about 15 spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 avocado chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup chopped basil

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl or medium jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine or shake with the jar lid on tight. Set aside.
  • Add water, quinoa, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
  • While the quinoa is cooking, cook the asparagus. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and fresh lemon juice. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, combine quinoa, asparagus, peas, and avocado. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the fresh basil and serve.

Have you tried this recipe?

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Maria

I'm Maria and my husband is Josh. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. We love sitting around the table with good food, good conversation, and good friends and family! Our kitchen is always open!
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  1. You always find a way to combine some of my most favorite flavors! Hopefully this beautiful, springy dish will bring warmer weather your way!

  2. Yum! Great idea! I love quinoa and it’s been a while since I made it. I have to give this recipe a go!! Have a great weekend!

  3. It is totally spring! And it’s raining all the time here in Ottawa to prove it! This looks so lovely, I can’t wait to try!

  4. This salad looks totally awesome. With the creaminess of the avocado and the freshness of the peas and asparagus, and packed with protein too, what could be better? I can’t wait to try it!

  5. All of this green makes me so happy! And that dressing sounds so yummy and fresh. Yay for spring! 🙂

  6. I love everything about this salad! Here in New York we’re also having the winter that won’t quit and I’m sitting around pretending it’s spring and eating spring foods and hoping… 🙂

  7. OMG y’all I just made this for dinner and it was a HUGE hit! SO yummy!!! Thanks for an awesome recicpe!

  8. So green and fresh, definitely time for some spring flavors! This salad looks great for lunch!

  9. Oh my. Avocados simply cannot be beat for their creaminess and mellow flavor, and this pairing with another fave, asparagus, simply makes this divine! Brilliant! YUM!

  10. Ok….made this for dinner tonight and all I have to say is ……HOLY YUMM!!!!!! I will be making this until I burn myself out on it!!
    Got to thinking though….what if you double the garlic, swap the basil for cilantro, swap the lemon for lime, and add some crushed red pepper? Think it would work?? I think I am going to try it!!
    Thank you for sharing this!!!

  11. Yep, I could eat this every day of the week. These are perfect springtime flavors, Maria! I hope you had a fun visit with you dad.

  12. Wow…this looks fantastic! While different, it reminds me a little of the dinner I made last night…farro with asparagus, sautéed leeks and onions, edamame and pinenuts. Must try this one (which I bet would go nicely with farro as well). LOVE avocado.

  13. life is definitely all about balance. This spring has just been terrible. I don’t remember any other April’s without any truly nice days. Maybe this means summer will be extra long 🙂 Love quinoa and this salad sounds great!

  14. Oh my goodness! I am making this very soon! I love quinoa with vegetables and this looks amazing. If you like other variations, I’d love to share my Quinoa with Broccoli Pesto recipe with you. You can find it on my site. (I promise I’m not trying to spam, which is why I didn’t post the link.) Love your blog. 🙂

  15. This sounds SO lovely! All my favorite things in a light, refreshing salad. Love it!

  16. I just made this quinoa salad for a light dinner. It is absolutely delicious!!! I didn’t have fresh basil, so I used dried, but the taste comes through. I love your site and check it very often, thanks so much!!!

  17. It’s just starting to feel like spring here in Michigan… however it was a sunny 70 degrees one day and 40 the next! This quinoa salad sure does have spring written all over it!

  18. made this yesterday for lunch…it came out so good! loved it…thanks so much for the great recipe 🙂

  19. This was a fantastic meal! I made this last night and have to say it’s a Keeper! I have never had quinoa nor cooked it before. I used my Aroma Rice Cooker which cooked it perfectly on the white rice setting! It is perfect for gluten free diets. I didn’t have fresh basil yet but I used the oregano that was growing in my herb garden, it was a nice mild oregano. The fresh lemon makes the flavors work! Thanks for the wonderful new experience!

  20. It’s going to have to be balance for me too! I came looking for the cinnamon rolls and got distracted my the quinoa. That means there’s hope, right?!

  21. ooh, I happen to have some cooked quinoa in the freezer, bought asparagus & an avocado today, so now I know what’s for dinner!

  22. Great recipe! this was DELICIOUS! thanks for sharing. going to make this all the time now. =)

  23. I will definitely be making this again! Since I was only cooking for myself, I cut the whole recipe in half and I swapped the asparagus for broccoli (didn’t have asparagus) and omitted the avocado (mine wasn’t ripe) and added some sautéed onion. I also cooked the quinoa in vegetable broth instead of water which was very yummy.
    I’m an 18 year old vegan and finding recipes like this is the highlight of my day!

  24. My friend made this for a lunch and bought it along and it was so good I had it with my breakfast and then lunch again the next day and then requested the recipe and she sent me here. I can’t believe how simple this is or how good it tastes-it must be the perfect balance of flavours.

    1. Made this with steamed broccoli, asparagus. skipped the peas and made mashed avocado cream to use as toppings. loved the simple dressing with the vegetables an amazing mix the flavours really marry themselves together.
      definetly making this more often.

  25. I’m making this tomorrow! Might be adding a couple different ideas … I’ll let you know what I do and how it turns out ….

  26. All I can say is Yum! I added cubed squash and made chunks of sesame chicken to put on top. The basil, I grew myself!! The possibilities are endless …
    I’ll be posting a photo on my Facebook page … Biloxi Beanies. Have a look !!

  27. This was delicious! I LOVED the creamy avocado with the tangy dressing! And my kids loved it too!

  28. Hi, what would you use in place of asparagus given it’s autumn now and there is no asparagus in sight? I really want to make this but couldn’t figure out a substitute -maybe grilled zucchini?

  29. I followed your recipe to the letter. One word for you…excellent! My husband and I loved this. It will be a regular in our home–spring, summer, fall, or winter.

  30. About how much would you say is 1 serving? And how many calories are in 1 serving? Thanks in advance! Can’t wait to try this deliciousness! : )

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  32. This was great! SUPER EASY and tasted fresh. I had to added extra honey and olive oil to the dressing because it was too lemony/tart for me. Otherwise it was definitely something I’ll make again!

  33. Made this tonight! Don’t even need the dressing – the flavors mix so well!
    Thank you for this amazing recipes – perfect for spring, all veggies are in season in March!

  34. Our family made this because we were in the mood for spring (even though mother nature isn’t). It was sooooo good. Thank you so much for sharing.

  35. What is the nutrition and calorie count? I am in weight watchers and would like to know how to count this.

  36. I made this but did not have frozen peas. I just added more asparagus and red and yellow peppers. I think adding feta cheese would be fabulous. Definitely I will make this again.
    Is this supposed to be served hot or cold? I think that it tastes great either way.

  37. This salad looks totally awesome. With the creaminess of the avocado and the freshness of the peas and asparagus, and packed with protein too, what could be better? I can’t wait to try it!

  38. Yummy salad. I added a splash of white wine vinegar to brighten the taste and definitely added more salt. Went great with Caesar salad (done vegan) topped with toasted nuts and dried cranberries.

  39. This green spring salad is calling my name. I love everything in it and can’t wait to try it!!

  40. 4 stars
    Delicious, except I prefer it more as a cold salad with raw asparagus and frozen peas or edamame. Dressing is amazing

  41. 4 stars
    I didn’t think i would like this. Based on the ingredients it looked bland. But this is a tasty quick bowl.

  42. 5 stars
    Just made this dish and yum yum yum! Love it! So quick and easy, definitely be making it again. X