Mango & Pepita Quinoa Salad - Perfect salad for an al fresco meal

I'm not a huge fan of quinoa tbh. But I do realize that when dining outdoors, a salad that is more resilient to the heat is probably your best bet! So I thought I would try to make a tasty, healthy and outdoor dining friendly quinoa salad!

As you may have seen in my past couple of posts, I collaborated with Wayfair to pick out a few of my must-have outdoor dining patio items. And this got me thinking about some easy, simple and tasty recipes that are perfect for al freso dining! I also shared my Grilled Shrimp Recipe and knew it needed a fresh, summery and light side dish to accompany it! So voila... we have my Mango & Pepita Quinoa Salad.

Nothing screams "summer" more than a golden, sweet & ripened mango! I chopped it into bit sized pieces and it is the star of this quinoa salad! I also included red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, black beans and pepitas (I just love saying this word... so cute! lol) for some crunch. I topped the salad with a simple cilantro & lime dressing that I blitzed together in a food processor.

Easy peasy! And perfect to go with any of your summer grilin' dishes! Check out the step by step recipe below & let me know what you think :)

Mango & Pepita Quinoa Salad

Serves 4

3 C cooked quinoa

1/2 C chopped mango (cut into bite sized cubes)

1/2 C chopped red onions

1/2 C chopped cucumbers

1/2 C black beans

1/2 C chopped tomatoes

1/4 C pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Cilantro Lime Dressing:

1 C cilantro, packed

Juice from 1 lime

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1. Make the sauce: Throw the cilantro, lime juice, EVOO, salt and pepper into a food processor and blitz for a few seconds until smooth.

2. Assemble the salad: Add the quinoa, mango, red onions, cucumbers, black beans and chopped tomato into a large bowl. Stir to combine all ingredients. Drizzle on the dressing and mix well until combined. Finish it off with a sprinkle of the pepitas and that is it! You are ready to complete your al fresco meal.... just missing a glass of summer sangria or your fave brew ;) Ready to serve, devour & enjoy!