Easy summer fruit salad with quinoa mixed with a simple za’atar mint dressing. This vegan quinoa salad with berries, avocado and peaches is packed with nutrition and protein.
Better late than never, right?
I have been promising this recipe ever since I posted my za’atar mint dressing.
This summer fruit salad recipe is totally worth the wait because its easy and packed with proteins and vitamins.
Best fruit for salads
- Blackberry
- Avocado
- Peaches
- Quinoa
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Apples
- Mandarin Orange
- Pears
- Blueberries
- Dragon Fruit
The sky is the limit for the types of fruits you can use in this summer fruit salad recipe. I actually love avocado in a tomato salad too. It’s a unique recipe that is packed with nutrition and good fats.
🍅 Handy Tip: Make the dressing the day before, store it in a glass jar and let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Shelf life of the refrigerated dressing is 2 weeks.
Quinoa with fruits is a great idea, trust me!
I have seen quinoa served in dessert recipes at restaurants and resorts. But, In my head, these two ingredients didn’t go well together
Then, a recent trip to Sweet Tomatoes (now defunct) in Orlando changed my perspective. My friend assembled a fresh berry salad with Ancient Grains Quinoa Blend. The colorful plate instantly grabbed my attention!
The combination of fruits and quinoa got the wheels turning in my head. I had to try my own summer fruit salad recipe for a delicious quinoa summer fruit salad
👩🍳 Making tip: Don’t assemble this salad until about 30 minutes before you are ready to eat it. It will get soggy.
Best dressings to use with this salad
I prefer using light, sweet salad dressing for a fruit salad. Anyone of these dressings will be perfect for this summer fruit salad.
I used the Za’atar Mint Dressing for this recipe because the mint flavors with agave added the PERFECT flavors to the salad
Za’atar is my obsession. I have quite a few za’atar recipes, so, let me know which one you like
When to eat this salad
That is a very good question. I really wanted this to be a dessert salad, but, I have a feeling that it will work for any time of the day.
If you are looking for healthy lunch ideas, this easy fruit salad will be perfect for a light lunch. The summer fruit salad packs quite a bit of nutrition.
Quinoa as a treat is not a new concept. My fellow food blogger Sage has a huge list of quinoa dessert recipes that will make you love this protein-packed ancient grain again.
This salad is also tailor-made for a brunch you are having with friends. I took it to a friend’s house a few weekends ago for Sunday brunch and was instantly at home with the Mimosas!
My friend got creative by using sweet pita chips as spoons to eat this summer fruit salad. If you love berries & peaches in your salad, then you will love this easy blackberry peach salad recipe. It’s a very colorful summer salad that’s so easy to make.
🍅 Handy Tip: Use a ripe, but firm avocado in this salad. This will prevent the avocado from getting mushy.
Answering Common Questions
Adding vinegar or lemon juice to a fruit salad will prevent it from browning. Apple cider vinegar is my favorite thing to add to fruit salad.
I don’t think quinoa and Cool Whip make for a great combo. So, if you want to add it, omit the quinoa. Redi-Whip makes a (Affiliate Link) vegan cool whip.
Absolutely! Nectarines work just as well in this fruit salad recipe. Try it and let me know what you think.
Yes, you can use dried mint, but, it won’t taste the same. There is something very aromatic and flavorful because of the fresh mint.
I have created a helpful guide on what vegans can and can’t eat and a guide to keeping mint fresher.
Storage and leftovers
This fruit salad cannot be made ahead because it is made with fruits. Avocado turns mushy and brown when frozen. But, the good news is that this salad takes just 10 minutes to make.
Make the salad dressing ahead of time and it can last up to 2 weeks when refrigerated. Use fresh basil too, if you have it on hand.
Store leftovers in glass containers like this (Affiliate Links) AILTEC storage containers. Use the leftovers within 3-4 days of making it.
Sharing is caring
Don’t be shy, chime in below in the comments. Let me hear your opinion on this recipe. If you enjoyed this, please give it 5 stars and share it on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.
How to Prepare Fruit Salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 lemon juiced.
- 1½ Tbsp Za'atar
- ¼ cup agave see notes
- ½ tsp salt adjust to taste
- 3 mint leaves finely chopped
For the Fruits
For Garnish (Optional)
- 4 leaves fresh mint
- 4 leaves basil
Instructions
Make the dressing
- In a salad bottle, add all the ingredients
- Give it a good shake
- Refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight
Assemble the Salad (30 Min before serving time)
- In a bowl, add all the fruits, quinoa and nuts
- Add about 3 Tbsp of the salad dressing or adjust to taste
- Mix well and cover
- After 30 minutes, garnish and serve
