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Easy Lime and Mango Quinoa Salad (Gluten Free)

This easy lime and mango quinoa salad is a refreshing cold summer quinoa salad full of fruits and vegetables. With mango, quinoa, avocado, cucumbers and lime, it’s perfect for any cookout or barbecue!

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I just got back from a ladies’ getaway weekend with my mom and sisters.

We went to Montauk (check out what to do in Montauk) to celebrate my mom’s 60th birthday and my mind is bursting with delicious summer recipes.

Now, I truly feel like summer is here in full force so it’s time to start thinking about quick and easy summer healthy recipes, like this flavorful quinoa salad.

Today’s summer vegetable quinoa salad is the perfect cold summer salad recipe and makes for a great entree or side dish, along with this cantaloupe salad recipe

Or, this sweet potato quinoa salad or 10 minute brown rice quinoa salad. Can you tell I love combining fruits and grains?

sarah schlichter drinking smoothie on kitchen counter

Why Sarah Loves this Recipe

“I love that this healthy quinoa salad is ready in 15 minutes, since I’m usually using my time down to the minute preparing for a gathering. The combo of sweet mango, juicy tomatoes, and tangy lime is perfection for spring and summer.”

Summer foods are my favorite and quinoa summer salad recipes are great at blending things together.

We’ve been loving juicy mango here and recently I found myself thinking about a quinoa and mango salad with an abundance of fresh flavor, so here we are. 

Since this mango quinoa bowl is so light, I love serving it with this heavier goats cheese pasta bake or even coating it with this basil spinach pesto without nuts.

The flavors are so good…you can’t really go wrong with this delicious salad.

Bowl of quinoa mango avocado salad with sliced mangos, lime and tomatoes with a fork

Why You’ll Love A Mango Avocado Quinoa Salad

  • Ready in 15 minutes – I truly rely on this quinoa salad with mango for most last minute summer picnics and gatherings because it’s the perfect meal prep recipe! You can have it ready in 15 minutes or make it the night before.
  • Great for meal prep or leftovers – While this quinoa and mango salad is ready quickly, it’s great the next day too! Make it the night before or serve it as tasty leftovers.
  • Kid friendly – When I serve to kids, I usually deconstruct everything (serve it separately vs. together on a plate), but quinoa for toddlers is usually fun when served with colors!
  • Can serve warm or cold – This healthy quinoa salad can go either way, kind of like this orzo broccoli salad. It truly is delicious served warm, or complements the cold fruit and veggies well too as a cold quinoa salad or served room temperature.
  • Gluten free – While I am not gluten-free, I appreciate that many people are. Which is why I love quinoa – it makes for a great gluten-free option! Mango quinoa salad is a perfect refreshing dish to bring to your next cookout or get-together.
  • Vegetarian option – While you can keep this vegan by swapping nutritional yeast for the feta cheese, it is a delicious plant-based meal option. Quinoa is a complete protein, and is also a great source of magnesium, B6, iron, and copper, among other key minerals.
  • High in protein– A little bit of quinoa goes a long way, nutritionally! Did you know that just a 1/2 cup (dry) serving of quinoa has 12 grams of protein? If I’m serving it as a main dish, I’ll usually add black beans for a filling black bean quinoa salad.
Clear bowl with mango and quinoa salad topped with diced vegetables

Ingredients For Mango Quinoa Salad

So, let’s talk about how to make this quinoa avocado mango salad. You’ll need:

  • uncooked quinoa – Make sure to rinse your dry quinoa ahead of time. White quinoa or tri-colored quinoa both work.
  • mango – You don’t want it overly ripe that it’s too soft, but ripe enough that it has some sweetness.
  • cucumber – I love the crisp, neutral taste of cucumber, but you could substitute with a crisp yellow, orange or red bell pepper.
  • lime – While there’s nothing like a tart lime, you could also use lime juice in a pinch.
  • avocado – Make sure it’s ripe, because creamy avocado blends in so perfectly with these ingredients! Avocado provides texture, flavor and those heart-healthy fats!
  • tomato – I love fresh tomatoes, specifically diced roma’s or cherry tomatoes
  • olive oil – I use this cold-pressed olive oil to really bring out the flavor
  • cheese – I prefer feta cheese but you can omit this if you’re vegan.
  • fresh cilantro – This is optional but really rounds out the flavor profile.
wooden cutting board with diced mango, cucumber, tomatoes

I happen to really love quinoa salad recipes with feta cheese – The salty cheese just sits so nicely with the cooked quinoa.

Plus, the fresh, crisp mango and vegetables provide another layer of taste and pleasure.

Other Mix In Ideas:

If you happen to be out of some of the above ingredients, or just want to switch it up, here are some other ideas and options:

  • red onion – I prefer red onion (or pickled red onions) to white onion because there’s a stronger flavor profile
  • kalamata olives – add more depth and saltiness!
  • red bell pepper – More crispness
  • black beans – Another great way to add protein! A black bean quinoa mango salad is a tasty alternative.
  • green onions
  • nuts or seeds – I think pistachios, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds would also add a lovely crunch!
  • pineapple – A great tropical replacement for the mango.
  • protein topping – diced or shredded chicken, eggs, tempeh, tofu, fish, etc.

How to Make the Best Summer Quinoa Salad

You can choose to use fresh quinoa that you cook just for this recipe, or use leftover quinoa. It’s a great use for leftover quinoa!

Then, chop your vegetables and mango. I chose to chop the mango to get more flavor in small bites.

But, you can also leave them in longer slices if you’d prefer.

Mango slices on cutting board

To me, the use of fresh, whole foods, makes this dish appealing to the taste buds and the body.

The lime quinoa adds a nice juicy flavor that pairs beautifully with the sweet mangoes.

The fresh cilantro adds a little bit more “statement” of flavor, but if it’s not your thing, you can leave it out.

Add your diced mango, veggies and cooked quinoa to a large bowl. If you want to add feta cheese, you can do that here.

Clear bowl of mixed mango quinoa salad on white counter

I just don’t like dry textures, so I opted for some olive oil lime seasoning. You’ll simply add a splash of this olive oil (a high-quality tasting one) and lime juice to the bowl.

The juice from the lime, the fresh fruits and veggies, and the cilantro give it a kick of flavor on its own where you don’t even need a dressing.

If you’re okay with seafood, another summer salad option is this broccoli kale salad with lemon garlic dressing

Mango quinoa salad in white bowl with other bows of ingredients

This healthy mango and quinoa salad is the perfect accompaniment alongside sweet potato turkey burgers, for the ultimate al fresco summer meal.

We also love it as a side to this salmon sheetpan dinner or corn and bacon fritters.

How to Makeahead and Store Quinoa Salad

If you plan on serving this quinoa and mango salad to a large group, making it ahead of time frees your hands up for some other dishes to make day of.

Just put this together the night before (but don’t add dressing until the day-of) and then it’s a great option as a quinoa salad for lunch or dinner. ย 

Store this mango quinoa salad recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

TRY some of these other EASY recipes!

Yield: 6

Easy Mango Quinoa Salad

Mango Lime Quinoa Salad is gluten free and a fun spin on pasta salad. Full of light and refreshing veggies, it's a great summer quinoa salad option | Cold Quinoa Salad | Summer Quinoa Salad

Mango Quinoa Salad is gluten free and a fun spin on pasta salad. Full of light and refreshing veggies, it's an easy and delicious summer quinoa salad.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups quinoa
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 mango, peeled and diced
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/3 cup feta cheese, substitute with nutritional yeast if vegan
  • 1/8 tsp garlic salt, optional
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook quinoa according to package directions and let cool.
  2. Cut your grape tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, mango and cilantro.
  3. Once the quinoa is cooled, mix in olive oil and juice from the lime and mix around.
  4. Top with feta cheese and/or nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to taste

Notes

Remember to add time to let the quinoa cool.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 243Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 159mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 7gSugar: 16gProtein: 6g

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  1. I don’t know why I don’t use mange more often. This looks like a fantastic combination!

  2. Thank you, Sarah!! I made your delicious salad and it was incredible!! I happily brought it to a summer cookout to share with family who appreciated a healthy new dish.
    Best of all, it was simple to prepare!! I ordered the olive oil you suggested and it arrived promptly (2days). This was my first time preparing Quinoa, and I was surprised at the simplicity. I love how you simplified the measurements and provided photos.
    I am team love cilantro, but the cilantro did not overpower the other ingredients in this salad.
    Iโ€™m adding this refreshing salad to my weekly summer dinner rotation!
    Thank you again! Leah

  3. Minus cilantro this sounds like a great recipe. I can’t wait to hear more about your trip!

  4. I love the avocado and mango combo. Thanks for linking up today for meatless Monday

  5. This sounds delicious! I’ve been living off cold quinoa salads so far this summer.
    Oh and TEAM CILANTRO, all the way!

  6. This looks so summery and delicious!

    I’m with you, fresh fruit definitely tastes better on the water – or outdoors on a warm day! As for cilantro, I’m kind of on the fence as it depends what it’s in!

  7. Yum just pinned this for later! I havent heard of anyone in the middle of the cilantro debate–that’s awesome! Im on team love cilantro! That peach looks awesommeeee! I havent had one yet this summer!

  8. I’m with you on the running. It’s been in the upper 90’s every day this week. It’s forcing me to get up at 7:00 or earlier to run before it’s unbearable. You salad looks delicious! I absolutely love cilantro! I eat it on everything Mexican!

    1. I’m not an early morning runner so it’s tough adjusting. Cilantro goes amazingly well with Mexican!

  9. I feel the same about cilantro! It’s not my favorite, but I’ll still eat something that’s flavored with it.

  10. Totally delicious. Cilantro, lime, cucumber, and mango? YES PLEASE. You hit the refreshing nail on the head! Totally pinning this.
    Also, you are totally killing me with that perfect peach. I MISS THE SOUTH

  11. I have friends who think cilantro tastes like soap? WHAT?!?! I personally love it! It adds the best flavor to salsa, guac, on top of chili…etc and I bet is just delicious in this quinoa salad.

    1. Soap? I haven’t heard that one ๐Ÿ™‚ I like the herby flavor it adds to so many things.

  12. Girl. This is a WIN. I’ve been feeling totally in a rut with salads lately – and with a few family gatherings/BBQs coming up – this is not the time for a salad rut! Hands down I am making this stat. Such summer perfection.
    You and I are on the same bandwagon –> Always. Add. Feta. .

    1. We are on the same level, always, my friend. We need to make meals together in real life!!

  13. I love this quinoa salad- i usually try to make something like this with lots of veggies to bring to summer parties so I can balance out my indulgences with some healthy foods. And yes, I could probably eat my weight in pasta salad!

  14. Oh gosh, this recipe looks AMAZING. So fresh and beautiful too! I am definitely a cilantro lover – the more the better. I just hate when I buy a bunch of it. I never seem to use it all before it goes bad ๐Ÿ™
    The most refreshing vegetable to me is cucumbers, but thats because I immediately think of a spa. I usually don’t eat cucumbers on their own though. Usually when I go to parties I take a medium size container of plain greek yogurt and make my own ranch spices to mix in. Bring along a ton of veggies & you have a guilt free dip! Who doesn’t like ranch? Hahahah.
    As always – Thanks for sharing!

    1. I loveee cucumbers in the summer, maybe because they are so water-dense too and nice and cold.. Your homemade healthy ranch dip can come to any of my parties ๐Ÿ™‚

  15. Woah Sarah, congratulations on getting up on your 3rd attempt on the board! And this salad looks so fresh and yummy. I like cilantro, but I don’t love it. Maybe I”m in the same boat with you.

    1. Thanks, Emily. It was a challenge but a lot of fun! Glad we’re in agreement over cilantro ๐Ÿ™‚

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