Cherry Quinoa Salad With Lamb (Printable View)
Protein-rich Mediterranean salad with spiced lamb, fresh cherries, quinoa, and tangy feta in zesty dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Lamb
01 - 14 oz lamb loin or leg, trimmed and sliced into strips
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp ground cumin
04 - 1 tsp ground coriander
05 - ½ tsp salt
06 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Quinoa
07 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
08 - 2 cups water
09 - ½ tsp salt
→ Salad Components
10 - 1¼ cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
11 - 3½ oz baby spinach or arugula
12 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
13 - ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
14 - ¼ cup toasted pistachios or almonds, roughly chopped
15 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
16 - 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
17 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
18 - 1½ tbsp lemon juice
19 - 1 tsp honey
20 - ½ tsp Dijon mustard
21 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Combine rinsed quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool completely.
02 - Toss lamb strips with olive oil, cumin, coriander, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl. Let marinate while quinoa cooks to absorb flavors.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified and smooth.
04 - Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear seasoned lamb strips for 2-3 minutes per side until desired doneness is reached. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
05 - In a large serving bowl, combine cooled quinoa, pitted cherries, spinach or arugula, sliced red onion, crumbled feta, toasted nuts, fresh mint, and parsley.
06 - Add sliced lamb to the salad bowl. Drizzle dressing evenly over the entire salad. Gently toss to coat all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, optionally garnished with additional herbs and nuts.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of sweet cherries and savory spiced lamb creates this incredible flavor dance that feels fancy but comes together in under an hour.
- Its one of those meals that looks like it came from a restaurant kitchen but uses simple ingredients you can actually find.
- The leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when all those flavors have had time to become best friends.
02 -
- Letting the quinoa cool completely before assembling prevents the spinach from wilting into a sad, soggy mess.
- The resting time for the lamb after cooking is non-negotiable or all those juices will end up on your cutting board instead of in your salad.
03 -
- Pitting cherries with a paper clip bent open works surprisingly well and saves you from buying a specialized tool.
- Massaging the quinoa with a tiny bit of olive oil after cooking keeps it from clumping together in the salad.