This refreshing avocado quinoa salad is perfect on a warm day. It’s a colorful addition to any meal. Pair it with entrees, other salads, or whole-grain bread.

Quinoa is one of those amazing grains that is not only fun to eat, but it’s also good for you. Full of protein, it was a favorite food the Incas. Read about the health benefits here.
Jump to RecipeIngredients
Toss the quinoa with fresh avocados and tomatoes, add some corn, and top it off with an herb vinaigrette and you have a summer salad with some zing.

I used multi-color quinoa because it makes the salad pretty, but you can use whatever kind of quinoa that you have in your pantry. The vinaigrette is one I’ve used before — see couscous garbanzo salad — and it’s becoming one of my favorite things. It works with fresh or dried herbs and comes together quickly. But this is all about a quick salad, so if you don’t have time to make the dressing, use your favorite vinegar and oil dressing. A light Italian dressing will work too.
Making Avocado Quinoa Salad
Cook the quinoa according to package instructions and let it cool for 15 minutes or so. While it’s cooling, thaw the frozen corn and cut up the avocados and tomatoes. When the quinoa is cool, put everything together in one bowl, add the vinaigrette and stir.

Here’s a close-up of this salad stirred up and ready to eat.

Serving Avocado Quinoa Salad
Even though there is some protein in the quinoa, this salad is not a stand-alone meal. It goes well with a major protein such as pan-seared fish or chicken. Sometimes we pair it with our couscous garbanzo salad and some homemade sourdough bread, as shown below. This avocado quinoa salad goes well with pasta salads, especially ones that contain beans and cheese. If you try it, post a comment and let me know how you served it.

Take it with you
If you need a dish for a friendly get-together, this avocado quinoa salad is a great option since it goes with so many things. Also, the vinegar in the dressing keeps the avocado fresh-looking so it’s still good the next day. Take leftovers to work and wow your co-workers with your yummy, healthy lunch.

Avocado Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa multi-colored
- 1 large Haas avocado
- ½ cup sliced tomatoes multi-colored cherry
- ¼ cup frozen corn thawed
- 3 tablespoons herb vinaigrette dressing or your favorite Italian dressing
Herb Vinaigrette Ingredients
- ¼ C extra virgin olive oil
- 3 T white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced or put through a garlic press
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Snipped fresh basil parsley, & dried Mexican oregano
- Ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa ahead of time, according to package instructions.
- Make sure the quinoa is cool before adding the other ingredients. 10-15 minutes should be enough.
- Prepare the vinaigrette .
- Slice the avocados into bite-sized pieces.
- Put the frozen corn in a sieve or colander and run warm water over it to thaw it.
- Combine all of the salad ingredients.
- Add the vinaigrette and stir everything together.
Notes
- If you want to serve this salad cold, refrigerate the cooked quinoa for 30 minutes to an hour.
- If you don’t have time to make the dressing, use your favorite vinegar and oil dressing. A light Italian dressing will work too.
Nutrition

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