A Quinoa Cucumber Tomato Salad is perfect when you're looking for a light and filling lunch. Also great as a cool side dish, the summer is the perfect time for a healthy quinoa salad!
Featuring filling avocado, this salad will delight your taste buds and fuel your body with nutritious ingredients. You can be sure you'll feel great about making a healthy food choice!
Jump to:
- 🩵 About This Recipe
- 🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- 🔪 Let's Make Quinoa and Cucumber Salad!
- ❔ FAQs
- 💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- 📝 Substitutions and Variations
- What readers are saying...
- 🥡 Storage and Reheating
- ⏳ Make Ahead Instructions
- 🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
- 😋 More Salad Recipes You'll Love
- 📋 Recipe Card
- 💬 Reviews and Comments
🩵 About This Recipe
Looking for a new healthy side dish to switch up your usual dinnertime routine? This quinoa avocado salad features tomatoes and beans for a nutritious and filling side salad the whole family will love.
You can easily add a wide variety of seasonings and additional veggies to customize this dish to your liking. It's perfect for a summer dinner and features fresh produce and wholesome quinoa!
Not sure if you want to add avocado? Check out this post that explains what avocado tastes like to help you decide. And if you have any leftover cucumber, try this Cucumber Salad.
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- quinoa - cooked quinoa is the perfect base for a light but filling side salad.
- cucumber - cucumber provides a crisp, refreshing texture that contrasts nicely with the soft quinoa.
- avocado - avocado gives this side dish a nice hearty quality and a pop of bright green color.
- pinto beans - for some protein and texture.
- diced tomatoes - I like to use diced tomatoes that are already flavored. The Hunt's basil, garlic, and oregano flavored tomatoes are perfect.
- seasonings - all I add is some black pepper, garlic powder, and fresh chopped basil.
- lime juice - provides a bright pop of zesty citrus flavor!
🔪 Let's Make Quinoa and Cucumber Salad!
(Or click here to jump right to the recipe card!)
Chop Cucumber
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then into thin half moons.
Slice Avocado
Slice around the pit and twist the two halves apart. Dice the avocado with the skin on, then use a spoon to scoop out the chunks.
Add to Bowl
In a large mixing bowl,add cucumber, avocado, beans, tomatoes, seasonings, and lime juice.
Mix in Quinoa
Fold in the quinoa.
Toss to Combine
Use a spatula to mix everything together until it's fully combined and evenly distributed.
Cook the quinoa and dice the veggies ahead of time so you can easily toss together your quinoa cucumber tomato salad in minutes!
❔ FAQs
Somewhat similar to couscous, quinoa is a grain that comes from the amaranth family. It's grown largely in South America, particularly in Bolivia and Peru. Quinoa is often used to make other foods like soup, flours, and even beer, but is also a great gluten-free substitute in recipes that require grains.
When it comes to grains, quinoa is one of the best for you! It's rich in protein and plant fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and has been linked to lower cholesterol and a more stable level of blood sugar.
Any variety of quinoa, such as white, red, or tricolor, will work well in this salad. The different quinoa types have slightly varying flavors, textures, and cooking times, but they can generally be used interchangeably in recipes. The color choice often comes down to personal preference and the desired aesthetic.
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💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Save time by using pre-cooked quinoa. If you're cooking it yourself, you'll need one cup of uncooked quinoa to produce 3 cups of cooked quinoa.
- Toss the avocado in a little bit of extra lime juice to prevent it from browning. Cut it just before making the salad to help as well.
- This dish is served cold and it's easy to take on the go, which makes it perfect for cookouts, potlucks, picnics, and more.
- You can also prepare the salad in advance and separate it into serving-size containers for grab and go meals throughout the week.
- For an extra garnish, add some sunflower seeds or additional basil.
- Check out this helpful guide on How to Cut Tomato for a Salad!
This quinoa and cucumber salad is great for a side dish, but it can also be served as a light main course for lunch or dinner!
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- Add other vegetables like red bell peppers or red onions for additional color and flavor.
- Another way to up the nutrition of this quinoa and cucumber salad is to mix in some greens like spinach or kale.
- Make the salad more filling by topping it with some grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, or tofu.
- Pinto beans can be substituted for kidney beans or black beans, or even chickpeas instead!
- Give your salad a cheesy and slightly tangy flavor with crumbles of feta cheese or goat cheese.
What readers are saying...
What a delicious salad for summer!
- Zaza
🥡 Storage and Reheating
Keep leftover quinoa avocado salad in an airtight container in the fridge for several days. I don't recommend freezing this salad--you'll want to enjoy it within the first couple of days.
⏳ Make Ahead Instructions
Cook the quinoa and chop the produce ahead of time, keep in the fridge for a day or two, then toss everything together right before it's time to serve your quinoa avocado salad.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
This quinoa cucumber tomato salad pairs well with something off the grill like Grilled Halloumi Kebab, a delicious protein like Air Fryer Steak Bites or Maple Glazed Salmon, or a hearty soup like Brazilian Fish Stew or Easy Shrimp Stew.
😋 More Salad Recipes You'll Love
- Summer Potato Salad with Corn - Great for the summer, this potato salad features cooked corn and fresh dill!
- Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad - Fans of buffalo chicken will love this protein-packed salad with blue cheese dressing.
- Avocado Mango Salad - If you prefer a sweeter salad, this tropical and healthy fruity salad is the perfect option.
- Artichoke Avocado Pasta Salad - Can't get enough avocado? Try this delicious pasta salad from Bowl Me Over!
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Quinoa Avocado Salad
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📋 Recipe Card
Quinoa Cucumber Tomato Salad With Avocado
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 ripe avocado
- 14.5 ounces pinto beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
- 14.5 ounces basil, garlic, and oregano flavor diced tomatoes (1 can, lightly drained)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Slice the cucumber into chunks or semi-circles, whichever you prefer.1 medium cucumber
- Slice the avocado lengthwise around the pit and twist the halves to separate. Remove the pit with a knife, then score the flesh in a grid pattern and use a spoon to scoop out bite-sized chunks.1 ripe avocado
- In a large bowl mix together the cucumber, avocado, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, pepper, garlic powder, lime juice, and basil.14.5 ounces pinto beans, 14.5 ounces basil, garlic, and oregano flavor diced tomatoes, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- Add the quinoa, toss to combine, and serve.3 cups cooked quinoa
Notes
- Use pre-cooked quinoa available in stores to save time. If cooking quinoa from scratch, use 1 cup uncooked quinoa to yield the 3 cups of cooked.
- To keep the avocado from browning, cut it just before using in the salad or toss it in a little lime juice.
- Add other vegetables such as bell peppers, or red onions for extra color and flavor.
- Mix in some chopped baby spinach, arugula, or kale for added texture and nutrition.
- Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu to make the salad more filling.
- You can substitute pinto beans with black beans, chickpeas, or kidney beans if desired.
- Add some crumbled feta or goat cheese for a tangy flavor.
- This pairs well with grilled meats, fish, or a hearty soup.
- Use this salad as a filling for wraps or as a base for grain bowls with additional toppings like nuts or seeds.
- This recipe is great for potlucks or picnics since it is served cold and is easy to transport.
- Prepare the salad in advance and store in airtight containers for easy grab-and-go nourishment throughout the week.
- Garnish with extra fresh basil or a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in August 2014, and was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in July 2024.
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Pure Grace Farms says
Avocados, cucumbers AND Quinoa? I can only imagine how awesome this tastes. Thanks for sharing at Foodie Fridays. Hope to see you and your awesomeness with us again this week.
Blessings,
Shari
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
Looks delicious to me!! I've been making healthy salads with beans a lot lately! Glad to have a new one to try!
Judy says
3 of my favorite things to eat! Thanks for posting @TWS!
Kristine says
Hi! This salad looks delicious! Pinned! Thank you so much for sharing at A Wholesome Bunch! Have a wonderful weekend!
Heidy McCallum@ The McCallum's Shamrock Patch says
Avocados are a definite favorite of mine! My husbands hates them but I swear I can eat them right off our tree. I can't wait to try your recipe for a spin!
Rachel says
This look so delicious, healthy and I love the texture! Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday!
Jess says
This looks super delicious!
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week! Don't forget to enter the $25 Starbucks giftcard giveaway!
Choclette says
This sounds delicious and packed full of nutrition too. If it's got avocado in it, you can bet you're bottom dollar I'll eat it.
Bernadette says
Scrumptious sounding and looking! I am being mindful of eating "better carbs" at meals and this recipe is a wonderful example of healthy carb , protein, and fat. Thank you so much Kristin.
Kristin King says
Yes, I am definitely trying to steer more towards whole grains myself! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Bernadette!
Zaza says
What a delicious salad for summer! Love your photos 🙂
Kristin King says
Thank you, Zaza!