Cherry Quinoa Salad With Lamb (Printable)
Protein-rich Mediterranean salad with spiced lamb, sweet cherries, fluffy quinoa, fresh herbs, and tangy feta in a zesty lemon dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lamb
01 - 14 oz lamb loin or leg, trimmed and sliced into strips
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp ground cumin
04 - 1 tsp ground coriander
05 - ½ tsp salt
06 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Quinoa
07 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
08 - 2 cups water
09 - ½ tsp salt
→ Salad Components
10 - 1¼ cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
11 - 3½ oz baby spinach or arugula
12 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
13 - ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
14 - ¼ cup toasted pistachios or almonds, roughly chopped
15 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
16 - 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
17 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
18 - 1½ tbsp lemon juice
19 - 1 tsp honey
20 - ½ tsp Dijon mustard
21 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine rinsed quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is fully absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool.
02 - Toss lamb strips with olive oil, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Let marinate while the quinoa cooks to allow flavors to penetrate.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified and smooth.
04 - Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear marinated lamb strips for 2-3 minutes per side until browned and cooked to desired doneness. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
05 - In a large serving bowl, combine cooled quinoa, pitted cherries, baby spinach or arugula, sliced red onion, crumbled feta, toasted pistachios, fresh mint, and flat-leaf parsley.
06 - Add sliced lamb to the salad bowl. Pour dressing over the entire mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra herbs and nuts if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The juicy sweet cherries against the spiced lamb create this perfect flavor balance that makes every bite exciting
- You get to eat something that feels fancy and restaurant-worthy but comes together in under an hour
02 -
- Don't skip resting the lamb after cooking, or all those delicious juices will end up on your cutting board instead of in your salad
- The salad needs to be dressed right before serving, otherwise the spinach will wilt and the nuts will lose their crunch
03 -
- Toast your nuts in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking frequently, until they're fragrant and golden—this one step elevates the entire dish
- If your cherries are especially tart, add an extra teaspoon of honey to the dressing to balance everything out