Quinoa fruit salad is a delicious summery dish, which can be enjoyed for lunch, breakfast, as a snack or even dessert. The fruit is briefly roasted with a little sugar releasing lots of delicious juice, which can be added to the quinoa so there is really no need to make any extra dressing. Enjoy hot or cold.
This simple quinoa fruit salad is a delicious way to enjoy summer fruit. If you prepare the quinoa ahead this dish comes together in as little as 20 minutes.
I made this quinoa salad with roasted rather than fresh fruit. There were a few reasons for this. Roasted fruit have a different depth of flavour to fresh. It’s more intense. They also release lots of delicious juice, which can then be used as salad dressing. This adds loads of flavour to the quinoa.
Using roasted fruit as opposed to fresh also makes this salad extremely versatile. You can serve it cold or warm, for breakfast, lunch or dessert (see Serving Suggestions below).
Quinoa fruit salad ingredients and substitutions
- Quinoa: Any type of quinoa will work so use your favourite.
- Fruit: Use seasonal if possible (see below).
- Lemon juice: Adds freshness into the fruit.
- Lemon zest: Adds a burst of citrus flavour into the quinoa.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds tang and savouriness into the dish.
- Sugar: Helps to caramelise the fruit. Use regular or brown/demerara sugar.
- Single cream/half and half: Substitute coconut milk if preferred.
- Herbs: Add freshness and an interesting flavour dimension. Either thai basil, regular basil or mint will work.
What fruit to use
I recommend using stone fruits as they keep their shape well when heated. I do not recommend roasting berries as they cook very quickly and can become a little mushy especially as you combine them with the quinoa. Berries would work in a salad with fresh, uncooked fruit.
Another reason why stone fruits work better in this quinoa fruit salad recipe is that they brown nicely if you pop them under the grill (broil) for a few minutes. Berries don’t.
Top tip
I used a combination of nectarines, plums and apricots but you could use just one type of fruit or change the proportions to suit your preference.
How to prepare the fruit
Ensure you have roughly similar size fruit pieces. It’s also important not to chop the fruit too finely as it won’t brown as well and may become mushy.
The fruit is first roasted for a few minutes which helps it release lots of juice. If you want to brown it and lightly crisp up on top you have to also broil it (put under the grill) for a few minutes. If you prefer not to broil the fruit keep it in the oven for a few minutes longer. But I recommend broiling the fruit if possible.
How to prepare the quinoa
Quinoa cooks very quickly and does not require soaking. You can soak it for a couple of hours if that's how you usually prepare it but it's not necessary to do for this recipe. (Soaking removes bitterness from the quinoa but this is a 'sweet' recipe so your quinoa won't taste bitter even if you don't soak it first).
Cook it according to the packet instructions in salted water (usually for up to 15 minutes). Drain any excess water and set aside to cool (or combine with the fruit and serve it warm straight away) before assembling the salad.
Once cooled quinoa can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1. Prepare the fruit by removing the stones and cutting into similar size pieces. Arrange in your casserole dish, cut side up, snug together. Combine the lemon juice with the balsamic vinegar, drizzle over the fruit, sprinkle with the sugar and roast in a preheated oven on the top oven shelf for 10 minutes (450 F/230 C/gas mark 8).
2. In the meantime combine the cooked quinoa with the cream, lemon zest and chopped herbs. Stir and set aside.
3. Broil the fruit (place under the grill) for a further 6-8 minutes to brown it a little. Do NOT stir the fruit.
4. Place the fruit (and the juices) on top of the quinoa mixture, or let the fruit cool first (but add the juice while hot into the quinoa), then assemble the salad. Drizzle with a little more lemon juice and a bit of olive oil (optional), scatter pistachios or chopped almonds over the whole thing and enjoy!
Is this salad better served cold or warm
Both are delicious, in my opinion. However you decide to serve it it is important to add the juice to the quinoa straight from the oven – if it cools it may solidify. You can serve the fruit while hot with the cooled quinoa mixture but you can also warm up the quinoa first. Alternatively serve this quinoa fruit salad cold.
Serving suggestions
This fruit and quinoa salad is delicious just as it is. As it’s a versatile dish, however, it can be modified to suit your preferences.
- Breakfast/brunch
If you serve this quinoa fruit recipe for breakfast or brunch top it with lightly toasted sunflower/pumpkin seeds and/or nuts. It's also delicious with a dollop of homemade flavoured yogurt.
- Lunch
This salad also works well as a light lunch idea if you serve it with a drizzle of oil, chopped arugula, toasted pine nuts and a little more balsamic vinegar (all optional). Try this quinoa and fruit salad also with a drizzle of blueberry vinaigrette!
- Dessert
If you serve this recipe as dessert add a little whipped cream or ice cream (especially delicious if served warm with the latter!).
Top tips
- You can cook the quinoa ahead (according to packet instructions) in salted water and once cooled, refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days. Combine with the other ingredients when you are ready to make the salad.
- I recommend using stone fruits (they have more surface area than berries, for example, and Make sure they are ripe but firm.
- Optional add-in: You could combine the sugar with a little cinnamon and sprinkle over the fruit.
- Roasting will help the fruit release lots of juice and broiling it will brown it. I recommend doing both.
- Serve this quinoa and fruit salad warm or cold.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Related recipes
- Zesty Quinoa Beets Salad with Orange
- Quinoa Blueberry Muffins
- Breakfast Quinoa Parfait
- Quinoa Berry Smoothie Bowl
Keep in touch!
If you make this fruit salad with quinoa I'd love to know how it turned out for you! Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Recipe
Quinoa Roasted Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups (190 g) cooked quinoa cooked in salted water according to packet instructions
- 2 nectarines/peaches cut into 6-8 wedges each
- 3 plums quartered
- 4 apricots quartered
- 1 tablespoon sugar or to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- 2 tablespoons single cream/half and half or coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon thai basil/regular basil or mint finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F/ 230 C/ gas mark 8. Arrange the fruit, cut side up, in a single layer, close together in your oven dish. Combine the lemon juice with the balsamic vinegar and drizzle over the fruit. Scatter the sugar over the top and roast on the top oven shelf for 10 minutes. Do not stir.
- Combine the cooked quinoa (warm or cooled) with the cream, lemon zest and herbs and stir thoroughly. Set aside.
- Place the fruit under the grill (broil) for 6-8 minutes until lightly browned. Do NOT stir the fruit.
- Remove from the oven, add the fruit syrup from your oven dish into the quinoa mixture and stir. Place the fruit on top of the quinoa and serve hot or wait for the fruit to cool first, then combine with the quinoa.
Notes
- You can cook the quinoa ahead (according to packet instructions) in salted water and once cooled, refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days. Combine with the other ingredients when you are ready to make the salad.
- I recommend using stone fruits. Make sure they are ripe but firm.
- Additional add-ins: You could combine the sugar with a little cinnamon and sprinkle over the fruit.
- Swap the lemon juice for balsamic vinegar if you like. Or use a bit of both.
- Roasting will help the fruit release lots of juice and broiling it will brown it. I recommend doing both.
- Serve warm or cold. Add the juice from roasting the fruit to the quinoa straight from the oven – if it cools it may solidify. Add the fruit while hot along with the juice or let the fruit cool first if you like. Serve with toasted seeds/nuts, more lemon juice or balsamic vinegar or a drizzle of olive oil. Delicious warm with a scoop of ice cream!
- Not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
I never thought of putting quinoa with fruit, what a tasty idea!
Monika says
Thank you Kat!
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Oh my goodness this looks so good - such a clever idea! Thanks for linking it up to #CookBlogShare. Eb x
Monika says
Thank you!
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
What an unusual dish at least as far as im concerned I ve not seen anything like it before but it sounds really rather good. I must try it I love roasted stoned fruits
Monika says
Thanks! It's a simple idea but one that makes quinoa taste great.
Zee says
I've never tried a roasted fruit salad before. This one seems easy enough to try (and I can almost taste the yumminess).
Monika says
Thank you! Let me know how it turns out for you:)
JBS says
yummy... yet again
Monika says
Thank you!