Aperol Zest Quinoa Salad
A refreshing quinoa salad with zesty orange notes and a bittersweet finish, ideal for a light, vibrant meal. This Mediterranean-inspired salad recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs quinoa, cherry tomatoes, red onion into a side that holds its own next to almost any main — bright, balanced, and quick enough to slot into a weeknight plate. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly next to roasted proteins, grain bowls, or weeknight mains. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 12 medium, halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 small, thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup, chopped cilantro
- 1 medium, diced avocado
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp Aperol
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Rinse 1 cup quinoa and cook in 2 cups water according to package instructions. Let cool.
- Step 2: In a bowl, mix 12 halved cherry tomatoes, 1 small thinly sliced red onion, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, and 1 diced avocado.
- Step 3: Whisk together 1 tbsp orange zest, 1 tbsp Aperol, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
