Cherry Quinoa Salad With Lamb (Print)
Spiced lamb, sweet cherries, and fluffy quinoa with zesty herb dressing
# What You’ll 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
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 Make:
01 - Combine rinsed quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool completely.
02 - Toss lamb strips with olive oil, ground cumin, coriander, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Let marinate at room temperature while 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.
04 - Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear lamb strips for 2–3 minutes per side until cooked through with a nice crust. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
05 - In a large serving bowl, combine cooled quinoa, fresh cherries, baby spinach or arugula, sliced red onion, crumbled feta, toasted nuts, fresh mint, and flat-leaf parsley.
06 - Add sliced lamb to the salad mixture. Drizzle dressing over the top and toss gently to coat evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with additional herbs and nuts if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lamb gets this incredible crust from the spices while staying tender inside
- Fresh cherries burst in your mouth between bites of fluffy quinoa and salty feta
- It looks stunning on a platter but comes together in under an hour
02 -
- Overcooking the lamb makes it tough, so aim for medium rare and trust your instincts
- Hot quinoa will wilt the delicate greens, so spread it on a baking sheet to cool faster
- The dressing tastes better after sitting for 10 minutes, so make it first and let it meld
03 -
- Pit cherries over a bowl so you catch all those precious juices
- Let the lamb rest for the full 5 minutes so the juices redistribute