Pear Quinoa Light Salad (Printable)
A fresh salad blending quinoa, ripe pears, spinach, and a citrus-honey dressing.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Fruit & Vegetables
04 - 2 ripe pears, cored and diced
05 - 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
06 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
→ Nuts & Cheese
08 - 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
09 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
12 - 1 tablespoon honey
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse quinoa under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12-15 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 olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, pears, pomegranate seeds (if using), spinach, and red onion.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
05 - Add toasted nuts and feta cheese (if using). Toss lightly again and serve immediately, or chill for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between sweet pears and tangy dressing makes every bite feel like a little discovery
- It holds up beautifully for hours, so you can prep it ahead and actually enjoy your own party
- People assume you spent way more effort on it than you actually did
02 -
- Hot quinoa will wilt the spinach and make the pears mushy, so patience during cooling is non-negotiable
- The dressing tastes stronger alone than it does on the salad, so dont panic if it seems bold at first
- Wait until just before serving to add the nuts or they'll lose their crunch
03 -
- Use a straight edge to level off the cup of quinoa for consistent cooking results
- Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently until fragrant