Enjoy the ultimate vegan summer salad with a combination of nutty quinoa, juicy peaches, and a tangy raspberry dressing for the perfect balance of tastes and textures.
You need to add this peach salad to your list of recipes to make during peach season. It's full of fresh summer produce and perfect for BBQ parties and summer picnic trips.
It works as a side dish or as a main dish with added protein (such as raw smoked tofu, crispy tofu, or kidney beans).
If this salad makes you crave more, check out this mango and sweet corn millet salad or this Mediterranean buckwheat salad recipe.
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Key ingredients and substitutions
- White quinoa for protein and fiber. You can substitute it with red quinoa or millet if needed.
- Fresh peaches, preferably from the farmer's market. Try to find some that look plump but are not squishy yet. If peaches aren't available, you can use other stone fruits (e.g., apricots, nectarines). Also, make sure to try out grilled peaches during BBQ season.
- Cherry tomatoes for a pop of color. I like to use a mix of red and yellow ones but use what you have on hand.
- A ripe avocado for healthy fats.
- Spring mix salad often includes a mix of baby spinach, baby lettuce, peppery arugula, and radicchio and pairs well with the fruits in this recipe.
- Sunflower seeds for some crunch. Alternatively, try sliced almonds, crushed pistachios, or crunchy pecans.
- Fresh raspberries for the dressing AND the salad. They make this salad extra fruity and flavorful.
- Extra-virgin olive oil of good quality is the base of any good dressing.
- Red wine vinegar goes incredibly well with raspberries and really makes the salad dressing pop. You can replace it with sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar, or even lemon juice.
Optional add-ins: red onion, (vegan) feta cheese, and fresh basil.
Elo's tips
- Cook your quinoa in vegetable broth (or add vegetable broth powder to the cooking water) for added flavor (trust me this makes all the difference).
- To avoid mushy quinoa, remove the saucepan from the heat once most of the cooking water has been absorbed. Cover it with a lid and let the quinoa steam for 10 more minutes.
- Fluff the quinoa with a fork to prevent the seeds from sticking to each other.
- Make the quinoa ahead of time and let it cool down completely for a crisp and cold salad. I like to make it the day before or even use leftover quinoa from another recipe.
- Dry-roast the sunflower seeds for added flavor. Simply toast them in a pan without oil over medium-high heat until golden. Stir often and watch carefully to prevent them from burning.
- Meal prep the salad up to 2 days ahead of time. You can store everything in separate containers or stack the ingredients in Mason jars. Start with the dressing, then add the peaches, cherry tomatoes, avocado, raspberries, and quinoa, and finish with the greens.
Step-by-step instructions (with pictures)
STEP 1: Rinse your quinoa thoroughly under cold water in a fine-mesh sieve.
STEP 2: Cook the quinoa. Add it to a medium saucepan or pot with twice the volume of water (or follow package directions). Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and simmer until most of the water has absorbed (see tips above to prevent overcooking it). Let it cool down.
STEP 3: Cut the fruits. I like to cut everything into very small dice but you can also cut the peaches and avocado into slices. Feel free to play around with shapes for added texture.
STEP 4: Make the simple dressing. Add the raspberries, shallot, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, sea salt, and pepper to a small blender. Blitz until perfectly smooth.
STEP 5: Assemble the salad. Add the spring mix, cooked quinoa, tomatoes, avocado, peaches, raspberries, and toasted sunflower seeds to a large bowl. Save some sliced peaches and sunflower seeds for garnish.
STEP 6: Toss the salad with half of the dressing so that everything is evenly coated. Then serve on individual plates with the peach slices, sunflower seeds and more dressing.
Frequently asked questions
Rinsing quinoa removes dust and debris that may be trapped between the seeds. It also affects the texture by making it softer and fluffier. In terms of flavor, rinsed quinoa is milder and sometimes less bitter (you can also read Kitchen's taste test).
If making the salad ahead of time, I recommend storing the chopped-up fruits and greens, the quinoa, and the dressing in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Assemble it shortly before serving to prevent it from getting soggy. If you have leftovers, try to eat them within 24 hours and keep the remaining vinaigrette in a separate container.
I don't recommend canned peaches as they would be too sweet and too soft for this salad. Fresh peaches usually still have some bite to them, especially when they are ripe but not yet squishy.
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The recipe
Quinoa Peach Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 ⅓ cup (250 g) quinoa
- 3-4 peaches
- 10 ounces (280 g) red and yellow cherry tomatoes
- 1 avocado
- 5 ounces (150 g) spring mix salad
- ⅓ cup (50 g) sunflower seeds
For the raspberry dressing
- ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar sub raspberry vinegar
- ⅔ cup (100 g) raspberries more for the salad
- ½ shallot optional
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water. Add it to a saucepan with double the volume of water and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil. Reduce to low-medium heat and simmer until most of the water has been absorbed. Then, remove from the heat, cover with a lid, and let it sit for 10 more minutes. Let cool completely.
- Fruits: Wash the fruits. Cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters. Cut the peaches in half, remove the pits, and cut them into small dice or slices. Pit the avocado and score it lengthwise, then crosswise. Scoop out the pieces with a tablespoon.
- Dressing: Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, raspberries, shallot (if using), mustard, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend until perfectly smooth.
- Assembly: Add the spring mix, cooled quinoa, peaches, cherry tomatoes, and avocado to a large mixing bowl. Save some peach slices. Toss with half of the dressing. Transfer to individual plates and garnish with the peaches, sunflower seeds, and more dressing.
Notes
- Cook your quinoa in vegetable broth (or add vegetable broth powder to the cooking water) for added flavor (trust me this makes all the difference).
- Make the quinoa ahead of time and let it cool down completely for a crisp and cold salad. I like to make it the day before or even use leftover quinoa from another recipe.
- Dry-roast the sunflower seeds for added flavor. Simply toast them in a pan without oil over medium-high heat until golden. Stir often and watch carefully to prevent them from burning.
- Storage tips: If making the salad ahead of time, store the chopped-up fruits and greens, the quinoa, and the dressing in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two days. Assemble it shortly before serving to prevent it from getting soggy. If you have leftovers, try to eat them within 24 hours and keep the remaining vinaigrette in a separate container.
Nutrition
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This is honestly THE BEST salad recipe I've ever found online! It's fresh, It's light, the combination between spinach, ruccola and those fruits is wild but absolutely delicious. I'm in love with this recipe lol.🫶🏻🫱🏻🫲🏼
Oh thank you so much for the feedback! So glad you loved it. I must I'm a fan of combining fruits and veggies in salads😄