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    Home » Recipes » Salad

    Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad

    Apr 9, 2014 by Kaitlin

    This nutrient-rich Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad recipe only takes 25 minutes to make! It's full of delicious flavors and healthy, energizing, plant-based goodness. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

    Vegan quinoa avocado salad with spinach and tomatoes in a bowl

    This Quinoa Avocado Spinach Salad is so fresh and tasty!

    Fluffy white quinoa, fresh spinach, and sweet tomatoes combine with creamy avocado.

    It's nourishing, pleasantly filling, and feels so energizing.

    Plus it's easy to make and only 25 minutes to prepare!

    Uncooked white quinoa in a glass jar on wooden table

    Ingredients for Quinoa Spinach Salad

    For this recipe you will toss together in a large bowl:

    • White quinoa: This is a good source of protein and fiber among many other nutrients. Quinoa is also a complete protein which means it contains all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is often classified as a grain, but technically it is a seed, making it gluten-free. There are a few different varieties, but I like using white quinoa in this recipe.
    • Avocado: Avocados are technically a type of tropical fruit. Their smooth, buttery texture and rich flavor is perfect paired with the fluffy quinoa.
    • Fresh baby spinach
    • Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes: I like these because they are sweet and flavorful, but you could substitute roma tomato, plum tomato, or other ripe garden tomatoes.
    • Green onion (scallion): Or you can substitute finely diced red onion for a stronger taste.
    • Red wine vinegar: Or use fresh lemon juice or lime juice instead. You could also include lemon or lime zest for added flavor.
    • Fresh garlic cloves: I like the flavor of fresh garlic, but you can use a half teaspoon dried garlic powder instead.

    Oil note: The dressing is made oil-free, however feel free to whisk in a tablespoon of good quality olive oil if preferred.

    Fresh ingredients in a glass bowl

    Customizing

    Protein: Tossing in chickpeas, white beans, or seeds will add even more plant-based protein and fiber.

    Herbs: Add fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, or basil for added taste before serving. Or you can also add dried herbs to the dressing. (Dijon mustard is also a tasty addition to the dressing!)

    Veggies: Stir in cucumber or red bell pepper for added crunch. Roasted bell pepper or kalamata olives would be tasty too.

    Vegan cheese: Sprinkle vegan feta cheese crumbles on top before serving if desired.

    Bowl of vegan quinoa avocado salad with tomato and spinach

    Serving

    This quinoa salad makes a great take-along lunch that you can make ahead of time and store in the fridge.

    It also works great for meal prep, picnics, potlucks, parties, etc. It's great as a main dish or side dish.

    Storing

    Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator. We find they keep for about 3-4 days.

    Tip: If preparing ahead, you can also save the avocado to add right before serving if you wish. This helps keep it fresh.

    Power Salad with tomatoes in a bowl with spoon

    For more inspiration, also browse all salad recipes or quinoa recipes.

    Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad in a bowl with spoon

    Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad

    A nourishing quinoa salad with creamy avocado, sweet tomatoes, and fresh spinach. Full of energizing, plant-based goodness!
    4.80 from 20 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
    Course: Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
    Servings: 5 medium bowls

    Ingredients

    • 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 and 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.
    Customize: The dressing and flavors are flexible. We keep it simple with red wine vinegar, but you can add fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dried or fresh herbs, etc. for a bit more flavor.
    Yield: Recipe makes about 8 cups salad. (Can also serve about 8-10 as a small side dish.)

    Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

    Nutrition Facts
    Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    270
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    14
    g
    22
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    13
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    3
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    8
    g
    Potassium
     
    800
    mg
    23
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    32
    g
    11
    %
    Fiber
     
    9
    g
    38
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    7
    g
    14
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    2011
    IU
    40
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    25
    mg
    30
    %
    Calcium
     
    54
    mg
    5
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating or comment below!

    If you are enjoying this Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad, also check out:

    • Summer Chopped Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing
    • Black Bean Lentil Salad
    • Cucumber Salad

    Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.

    More Vegan Salad Recipes

    • Roasted Red Pepper Dressing (Oil-Free)
    • Roasted Chickpea Salad with Hummus
    • Asian-Style Kale & Tofu Salad with Peanut Dressing
    • Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Dill Dressing

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating:




    1. MimiG

      June 29, 2022 at 11:01 am

      This was awesome. Everyone loved it. Used evoo and balsamic vinegar with a bit of dijon.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        June 29, 2022 at 11:48 am

        So great to hear! And I love your version of the dressing - sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    2. Kim

      July 06, 2021 at 10:47 am

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

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        July 06, 2021 at 12:08 pm

        So great to hear!

        Reply
    3. Diane C

      April 20, 2021 at 10:57 am

      5 stars
      Loved this salad!!!! Instead of the vinegar, tossed it with some EVOO and lemon juice. Added a little grilled chicken. AMAZING!!!!!!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        May 03, 2021 at 8:29 am

        Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    4. CToth

      September 13, 2020 at 11:57 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        October 01, 2020 at 11:46 am

        So glad you've been enjoying this one!

        Reply
    5. Jackie

      June 13, 2020 at 7:46 am

      5 stars
      Hi Kaitlin!
      I just wanted to thank you for this recipe. I’ve had it in my “stash” 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!

      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!

        Reply
    6. 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!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        February 24, 2019 at 2:43 pm

        Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply
    7. 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 03, 2017 at 5:24 pm

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

        Reply
    8. 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
    9. 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.

        Reply
    10. 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.

        Reply
    11. 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

        Fresh lemon juice or another vinegar like apple cider would be a great substitute.

        Reply
    12. 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
    13. 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
    14. Stephanie

      September 14, 2015 at 12:07 am

      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. 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
    15. Veronica Villanua

      September 09, 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
    16. 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
    17. Jenny Triplett

      July 09, 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 would work!

        Reply
    18. 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
    19. 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

        Awesome to hear!

        Reply
    20. Holly Avery

      June 08, 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. 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
    22. 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
    23. 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
    24. 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
    25. 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!

        Reply
    26. Cecille M

      October 08, 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 09, 2014 at 4:14 pm

        So great! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    27. Jennie Nelson

      October 06, 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 06, 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.

        Reply
    28. 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 avocado.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        June 13, 2014 at 7:29 pm

        So great to hear!

        Reply
    29. 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 eat the leftovers cold.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kaitlin!
    I share vegan recipes that are easy & healthy. (Mostly whole food plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free.) About Me →

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