Cherry Quinoa Salad With Lamb (Print Version)
Protein-rich lamb with sweet cherries, fluffy quinoa, and zesty herb dressing
# What You Need:
→ Lamb
01 - 14 oz lamb loin or leg, trimmed and sliced into strips
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp ground cumin
04 - 1 tsp ground coriander
05 - ½ tsp salt
06 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Quinoa
07 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
08 - 2 cups water
09 - ½ tsp salt
→ Salad Components
10 - 1¼ cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
11 - 3½ oz baby spinach or arugula
12 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
13 - ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
14 - ¼ cup toasted pistachios or almonds, roughly chopped
15 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
16 - 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
17 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
18 - 1½ tbsp lemon juice
19 - 1 tsp honey
20 - ½ tsp Dijon mustard
21 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to Prepare:
01 - Combine rinsed quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is fully absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool while preparing remaining components.
02 - Place lamb strips in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with ground cumin, coriander, salt, and black pepper. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly and let marinate while the quinoa cooks.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Set aside until assembly.
04 - Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook seasoned lamb strips for 2 to 3 minutes per side, reaching desired doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
05 - In a large serving bowl, combine cooled quinoa, halved cherries, baby spinach or arugula, sliced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, toasted nuts, chopped mint, and flat-leaf parsley.
06 - Add sliced lamb to the salad bowl. Pour dressing evenly over the mixture and toss gently to combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, optionally garnished with additional fresh herbs and nuts.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of warm spiced lamb and cool juicy cherries creates this incredible temperature contrast that wakes up your whole palate
- Its one of those rare salads that actually satisfies you completely, no side dish needed
02 -
- Cool the quinoa completely before assembling, hot quinoa will wilt the greens and melt the feta into a weird texture
- Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking the lamb or it will steam instead of getting that gorgeous crust
03 -
- Pat the lamb completely dry before marinating, wet meat will steam instead of sear and you will miss out on that crusty exterior
- If your cherries are particularly sweet, reduce the honey in the dressing to just ½ teaspoon