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Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad

April 9, 2014 By Kaitlin McGinn 87 Comments

This nutrient-packed Quinoa Avocado Salad only takes 25 minutes and it’s full of healthy, energizing, plant-based goodness. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free)

Vegan quinoa avocado salad with spinach and tomatoes in a bowl

Fluffy quinoa, spinach, and sweet cherry tomatoes join forces with creamy avocado in this fresh & tasty dish. We love this combo! It’s nutrient-packed, delicious, and pleasantly filling and energizing. (Plus easy to make and it only takes 25 minutes!)

Bowl of vegan quinoa avocado salad with tomato and spinach

Customize Your Quinoa Avocado Salad

This is a beautifully versatile dish, so have fun playing around with different variations and flavors. Add beans or seeds for additional protein. Or change up the veggies depending on what’s in season, or add cucumber for a little crunch. For the dressing, you can certainly use fresh lemon/lime juice instead of red wine vinegar. And fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro) are lovely as well!

This dish makes an awesome take-along lunch that you can make ahead of time and store in the fridge. It also works great for picnics, potlucks, parties, etc. Hope you enjoy as well!

Come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram and share a photo if you make this. (Also please leave a review & star rating below if you give it a try. Your feedback is greatly appreciated – thank you!)

Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad in a bowl with spoon
Bowl of vegan quinoa avocado salad with tomato and spinach
Print Pin
4.77 from 17 votes

Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad

Nutrient-packed Quinoa Power Salad with creamy avocado, sweet tomatoes, and fresh spinach. Full of energizing, plant-based goodness.
Author: Kaitlin – The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:20 minutes
Total Time:25 minutes
Category: Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings:5 medium bowls

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 1 cup white quinoa (uncooked)
  • 2 avocados
  • 3 oz. baby spinach (more if desired)
  • 8 oz. grape/cherry tomatoes
  • 3 green onions (or finely diced red onion)
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1-2 cloves garlic (I use 2)
  • 1/8 tsp. salt (more/less to taste)

Optional additions:

  • Cucumber, fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, etc.), lemon juice, Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. dried oregano/basil

Instructions

  • Rinse and cook quinoa*.
  • Meanwhile, roughly chop the spinach. Place in a large mixing bowl.
  • Mince garlic, and add to spinach.
  • Halve/quarter cherry tomatoes, slice green onions, and dice avocado.
  • When quinoa is done cooking, immediately add it to the large bowl with spinach & garlic. Toss well to combine. (The heat from the quinoa will lightly wilt the spinach and mellow the garlic.)
  • Add the tomatoes, green onions, red wine vinegar, and salt to taste. Stir to combine.
  • Add the avocado and lightly toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate to let flavors blend/intensify.

Notes

*To cook 1 cup quinoa: in a small saucepan, boil 1 1/2 cups water (or vegetable broth for more flavor). Once boiling, add rinsed quinoa, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until liquid has absorbed.
The dressing & flavors are highly customizable. We keep it simple with red wine vinegar, but please feel free to add fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dried or fresh herbs, etc. for a bit more flavor.
Recipe yields about 8 cups salad. (Can also serve about 8-10 as a small side dish.)

Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)

Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Potassium: 795mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2006IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @thegardengrazer on Instagram and hashtag it #thegardengrazer. I love seeing your recreations!
Quinoa avocado power salad photo collage

Enjoying this Quinoa Avocado Salad? Also check out this fresh Summer Chopped Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing, Black Bean Lentil Salad, or simple Cucumber Salad!

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Gluten-Free, Main Dish, Most Popular, Recipe, Salad, Vegan, WFPBNO Tagged With: avocado, garlic, picnic, plant protein, potluck, quinoa, spinach, summer, take-along lunch, tomato

Previous Post: « Black Bean Lentil Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing
Next Post: Ultimate Greek Chopped Salad »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. LittleMonsterx14

    April 10, 2014 at 9:16 pm

    yes! this looks so simple but incredibly delicious! Yum!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 11, 2014 at 3:17 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Angie

    April 13, 2014 at 8:45 pm

    How many does this serve?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 14, 2014 at 5:36 pm

      Hi Angie! Depends on if you’re using it as a main dish or side dish. I’d estimate main dish servings to be about 3-4, and side dish servings about 6-8. It can really vary based on your serving size preference, so I split the difference and call it 5 medium bowls πŸ™‚

      Reply
    • Angie

      April 14, 2014 at 9:17 pm

      Thanks! Going to make this tonight!

      Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 14, 2014 at 9:38 pm

      Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
    • Mary Jane DiCresce

      May 1, 2016 at 11:49 pm

      Made this to go with some grilled chicken; fabulous!!! I also added some goat cheese. This is a GREAT salad and easy!

      Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 14, 2016 at 2:44 pm

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  3. Anonymous

    April 27, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    Just made this dish. It's real good! πŸ™‚ Thanks!
    I love your recipes. Have made several of them!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 27, 2014 at 10:48 pm

      So great to hear that – thank you!

      Reply
  4. Cookin' Canuck

    May 18, 2014 at 6:41 pm

    This is the kind of salad I could happily eat everyday for lunch. Great dish, Kaitlin!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 19, 2014 at 12:36 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
    • Jazzegurl

      June 1, 2015 at 5:14 pm

      This is soooo delish!! I have so much energy after eating this power salad. This is a must try!!

      Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 2, 2015 at 1:55 pm

      Great to hear!

      Reply
  5. Sarah Bell

    June 12, 2014 at 12:32 am

    If you are having this the next day should you eat it cold or heat it up?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 12, 2014 at 1:33 pm

      Hi Sarah! I always eat the leftovers cold πŸ™‚

      Reply
  6. Shan

    June 12, 2014 at 10:12 pm

    I loved this salad! Even my little 7 year old liked it. Very tasty. I ended up doubling the spinach. Packing up leftovers for hubby's lunch. Thanks for the quick easy meal, the only thing I didn't have on hand was the avacado. πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 13, 2014 at 7:29 pm

      So great to hear! Love that you doubled the spinach πŸ™‚

      Reply
  7. GlamCat

    June 24, 2014 at 3:14 am

    Hello, new to the site but was wondering if you post nutrition information?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 24, 2014 at 6:22 pm

      Hi and welcome! The estimated nutritional content is now provided on the site! (You can find it below each recipe.) Hope that helps!

      Reply
  8. Jennie Nelson

    October 6, 2014 at 5:46 pm

    This sounds great! I would love to make it and portion it out for my lunches this week. Will it stay good refrigerated for a few days, or is it a dish that doesn't last more than a day or two?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      October 6, 2014 at 6:50 pm

      Hi Jennie! Yes! I've kept this in the fridge for about 3-4 days before. The avocado will brown a little so if that's an issue you could leave it out and add it right before serving. I don't mind, so I just do it all in the beginning πŸ™‚ Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Cecille M

    October 8, 2014 at 1:51 pm

    I just finished making this! I had to substitute cucumber for avocado and added sugar to the dressing. I can't wait for my coworkers to try it.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      October 9, 2014 at 4:14 pm

      So great! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  10. Allie

    January 27, 2015 at 6:03 am

    Yum! I can't wait to try this πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      January 27, 2015 at 3:05 pm

      Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  11. Roni

    February 16, 2015 at 8:23 pm

    We made this for dinner last night, and it was fabulous! Used red bell pepper instead of tomato, since daughter doesn't care for tomato, and it added a nice kick. Thanks for sharing this easy and delicious recipe! Doesn't hurt that it's good for you, too!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 18, 2015 at 11:47 pm

      That’s a great idea! So glad you enjoyed it, thanks so much for the sweet message πŸ™‚

      Reply
  12. Danielle Lewis

    March 5, 2015 at 2:41 pm

    Hi Kaitlin! Just wanted to say that this recipe was absolutely delicious and has filled my lunch all week. I loved this so much I had to share it with all the readers on my blog. Thank you for sharing – I cannot wait to try more of your recipes.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      March 5, 2015 at 4:50 pm

      Thanks for sharing, Danielle!

      Reply
  13. Carolyn Childs

    March 24, 2015 at 3:04 am

    We ate all our spinach in last night's green salad so I cubed up some zucchini. Otherwise, followed your recipe to use the rest of my leftover quinoa. PERFECT!!! mmm

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      March 24, 2015 at 3:07 pm

      Great addition! Thanks for your helpful feedback!

      Reply
  14. Jena Gribble

    March 31, 2015 at 8:19 pm

    Just made this. AMAZING!!!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      March 31, 2015 at 10:34 pm

      So great! Thank you!

      Reply
  15. Rhonda Mesnick

    April 13, 2015 at 10:35 pm

    I used WW recipe builder and came up with 8 points for 5 servings and 6 points for 6 servings.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 14, 2015 at 1:01 pm

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  16. Jodi Jackson

    April 21, 2015 at 10:27 pm

    OMG, this is sooooooo good! Thank you for sharing

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 23, 2015 at 2:19 pm

      Great to hear!

      Reply
  17. Candace Cole

    April 21, 2015 at 11:09 pm

    Just made this and it is amazing!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 23, 2015 at 2:18 pm

      Thank you for giving it a try! Glad you enjoyed πŸ™‚

      Reply
  18. Jody

    May 21, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    Do you think I could use Balsamic instead of red wine vinegar for the dressing?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 21, 2015 at 6:21 pm

      Hi Jody! I’m guessing that’d work great too!

      Reply
  19. K Ridley

    June 2, 2015 at 4:24 pm

    The sounds delicious. You sound very similar to me.:)

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 2, 2015 at 7:09 pm

      Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  20. Holly Avery

    June 8, 2015 at 1:37 am

    I just made this tonight–so light and refreshing! Awesome. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 10, 2015 at 2:56 pm

      So great! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  21. Samantha Harris

    June 16, 2015 at 3:30 am

    GREAT summer salad! I LOVED it!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 18, 2015 at 3:13 pm

      Yay! So great to hear πŸ™‚

      Reply
  22. Eleni

    June 21, 2015 at 9:43 pm

    I saw this on Pinterest and I was so excited that I had all the ingredients on hand. I made it right away for lunch. It was soooo good! Thanks for the awesome recipe. I'll be making this over and over again.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 28, 2015 at 4:42 pm

      Love when that happens! Glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  23. Jenny Triplett

    July 9, 2015 at 9:40 pm

    I don't have any quinoa on hand but have everything else! Do you think brown rice would work?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 15, 2015 at 5:35 pm

      Hey Jenny! I’ve never tried this with rice, but I think it could still could work πŸ™‚

      Reply
  24. JQsat

    July 17, 2015 at 10:35 pm

    Love this! Wish you had a print button for your recipes.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 19, 2015 at 8:21 pm

      Hi! You can find the “Print” button in the recipe card! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  25. Kim Weis

    July 19, 2015 at 6:53 pm

    This was super good! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 19, 2015 at 8:22 pm

      So great to hear!

      Reply
  26. Unknown

    September 1, 2015 at 10:07 pm

    Enjoying every bite of it right now!! Pleasantly surprised!! Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 4, 2015 at 10:03 pm

      Awesome – thank you!

      Reply
  27. Veronica Villanua

    September 9, 2015 at 1:30 am

    This was amazing! Even my 7 year old loved it! I doubled the spinach and added lemon … YUUUUMM! Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 16, 2015 at 10:37 pm

      Great additions, thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  28. Stephanie

    September 14, 2015 at 12:07 am

    My family and I recently started eating more healthy foods, and this recipe was one I saw on Pinterest that I just had to try. It looked so delicious. We had this for dinner tonight and it tasted just as delicious as it looked! I added chickpeas to make it a bit more filling. Like you point out in your post, it's amazing how such simple ingredients can create such complex and delicious flavors. My daughter had three servings. I'm excited to try some of your other recipes, thanks for all the great, healthy inspiration!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 16, 2015 at 10:34 pm

      That’s so great! Love the chickpea addition!

      Reply
  29. Natalie Lindquist

    September 14, 2015 at 6:59 pm

    Doing a 10 Day Clean Eating Challenge and this was today's lunch. YUM! Thanks so much for sharing! (Your website and salads are playing a big part in my challenge.)

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 16, 2015 at 10:32 pm

      Great to hear, Natalie!

      Reply
  30. Shlandrea Jackson

    September 17, 2015 at 4:16 am

    Just made this made this for dinner tonight and It was awesome!!!!!! Very light on the tummy and fulfilling at the same time. I added almonds to mine.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 17, 2015 at 12:40 pm

      Great idea with the almonds – thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  31. Leslie

    January 18, 2016 at 9:38 pm

    This looks delicious! Do you have any suggestions for a substitute if I don't have red wine vinegar? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      January 18, 2016 at 9:53 pm

      Hi Leslie! Fresh lemon juice or another vinegar would be a great substitute – hope you enjoy! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  32. Unknown

    March 28, 2016 at 7:42 pm

    i love this recipe never tried quinoa before but thanks to this i love it had to change eating habits and this works well thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 2, 2016 at 12:43 am

      So great!

      Reply
  33. Sof Ray

    April 18, 2016 at 2:01 pm

    Great recipe! I found adding fresh lemon juice prevented the avocados from turning brown if you want leftovers for the following days.

    Reply
    • Sof Ray

      April 18, 2016 at 2:02 pm

      Oh and I used the tricolor quinoa which made it look even prettier!

      Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 24, 2016 at 7:33 pm

      Love that – great tips! Thanks for sharing πŸ™‚

      Reply
  34. Marta Andujar

    April 24, 2016 at 5:44 pm

    I was so late to shop but when I saw this recipe I was oh yeah we have all this in the cupboard and frig just need to run to the corner store for the green onions yay!I am going to have it with pollock delish can not wait thanks a bunch!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 24, 2016 at 7:39 pm

      Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  35. Karon Skidmore

    May 24, 2016 at 3:53 am

    I made this for a picnic. It is very good. Next time I will double the spinach and add lemon juice or zest to the dressing. I love that it's good made ahead. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 27, 2016 at 2:54 pm

      So great! Thanks for your feedback πŸ™‚

      Reply
  36. nannette storey

    August 11, 2016 at 4:01 pm

    I love this. Thank you. I sprinkle a little feta before serving. It tastes better cold.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 17, 2016 at 3:11 pm

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  37. Unknown

    December 28, 2016 at 2:28 am

    I love this recipe! I make it pretty frequently and it's good to take to dinners with non vegans, as they all like it too! Also it's a super good left over.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      January 3, 2017 at 5:24 pm

      Fun to hear the carnivores enjoy it too – thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  38. Unknown

    October 24, 2018 at 6:07 pm

    I just made this salad for lunch and OMG…..it's AMAZING!!!!! I love every ingredient in it!! ADDICTED!!!!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 24, 2019 at 2:43 pm

      Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  39. Jackie

    June 13, 2020 at 7:46 am

    Hi Kaitlin!
    I just wanted to thank you for this recipe. I’ve had it in my β€œstash” for several years but never tried it until last week. WOW! Have we been missing out! It is so delicious and so easy. It’s now going to be a regular addition to our menu. We eat it as a main dish salad and it’s so satisfying and cool for hot, humid NC days. Thanks so much!5 stars

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      June 24, 2020 at 11:03 am

      Hi Jackie! That’s amazing to hear! Appreciate you giving it a try and sharing your very kind feedback, thank you! Hope you continue to enjoy it throughout the summer πŸ™‚ Take care!

      Reply
  40. CToth

    September 13, 2020 at 11:57 am

    A++++ Excellent!!! I have been making this salad for years. It is one of my favorites and it stores well in the fridge for a days. I usually add the avocado right before I have a serving. It is soo good, makes me feel great, I usually have some wonderful energy after I eat it. Thank you so much for such a great recipe.5 stars

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      October 1, 2020 at 11:46 am

      AWESOME! So glad you’ve been enjoying this one. Thanks so much for the kind feedback and recipe rating – very appreciated πŸ™‚ And good call adding the avocado right before serving! Hope you have a lovely rest of the week. -Kaitlin

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Kaitlin! I share easy vegan recipes that are mostly whole food, plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free. Learn More About Me β†’

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