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–+ servings

Quinoa Summer Salad with Coconut Milk Dressing

5 | 2 reviews
Let me just say, if you have not tried coconut milk dressing before, it's about to change your life. This black lentil and quinoa salad is packed with all my favorite summer vegetables, from tomatoes to peaches to cucumber, and the limey, sweet and spicy coconut milk dressing is the perfect partner for it. This salad is equal parts fresh and craveable, and the best part is that it's perfect for meal prep. The longer it sits, the better it gets.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 heaping cup quinoa, any kind
  • 1 heaping cup black lentils, rinsed
  • 1 medium Fresno pepper, seeds removed
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, rough ends of the stems removed
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest, about 1/2 of a lime
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, about 1 lime
  • 1/3 cup yogurt or skyr
  • 1/3 cup coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 medium peach, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  1. Prepare the quinoa. Cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package instructions. I usually make mine in a rice cooker with a ratio of 1:2 grains to water, to keep it simple. Once cooked, transfer to the fridge to chill while you prepare the rest of the salad.
  2. Prepare the lentils. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Add 1 cup of lentils and simmer for 20-22 minutes. This is usually less than what the package calls for, but it prevents them from turning to mush. Drain and set aside to cool.
  3. Prepare the dressing. Finely chop up half of the Fresno pepper, 6 mint leaves and 2 tablespoons worth of cilantro. Add these to a medium bowl. Grate in the garlic and 1 teaspoon of lime zest. Add 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 1/3 cup of yogurt or skyr, 1/3 cup coconut milk and 1 teaspoon of honey and whisk to combine. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, or more to taste. Set this aside.
  4. Assemble the salad. Tear the remaining mint and cilantro and slice the remaining half of the Fresno pepper and add them to a large bowl. Add 1/2 red onion, 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, 1 peach, 1 cucumber and the chilled lentils and quinoa. Give a few big mixes and season with salt and 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar. Add about half the dressing and mix again.
  5. To serve, portion into bowls, drizzle on the remaining dressing and top with a fresh crack of black pepper. If making ahead, store in an airtight container in the fridge and this will last for 4-5 days.
Serving: 1 cupCalories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 8gFat: 3g