Gluten-Free Avocado and Quinoa Salad with Citrus Dressing

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-03 · Updated 2026-08-03

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

A vibrant salad combining protein-rich quinoa, creamy avocado, and a zesty citrus dressing, perfect for a light and nourishing meal. This Latin American-inspired gluten-free recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs quinoa, water, ripe avocado for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with rice, quinoa, or a quick salad. 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.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 Latin American cuisine 280 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 medium diced ripe avocado
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 medium diced cucumber
0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro
0.5 cup orange juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
0.5 tsp salt
0.25 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: Rinse 1 cup quinoa thoroughly under cold water, then combine with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy; fluff with a fork and let cool.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together 0.5 cup orange juice, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp honey, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper until well emulsified to create the citrus dressing.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, 1 diced medium avocado, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, 1 diced medium cucumber, and 0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
Step 4: Pour the citrus dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly, allowing the flavors to imbibe into the vegetables and quinoa.
Step 5: Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to enhance the melding of flavors.