Cherry Quinoa Salad With Lamb (Printable Version)
Tender spiced lamb with juicy cherries, fluffy quinoa, fresh herbs, and tangy feta in a zesty 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 It:
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 water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let cool completely.
02 - Toss lamb strips with olive oil, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Let marinate while the quinoa cooks to allow flavors to penetrate.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified and smooth.
04 - Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear lamb strips for 2 to 3 minutes per side until desired doneness is reached. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
05 - In a large serving bowl, combine cooled quinoa, fresh cherries, spinach or arugula, sliced red onion, crumbled feta, toasted nuts, fresh mint, and parsley.
06 - Slice rested lamb into bite-sized pieces and arrange over the salad mixture.
07 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat evenly. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra herbs and nuts if desired.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- The warm spiced lamb against cool juicy cherries creates this incredible temperature and flavor contrast
- Everything can be prepped ahead and assembled last minute for effortless entertaining
02 -
- Overcooking the lamb makes it tough so watch closely and pull it when it is still slightly pink in the center
- The salad needs to be dressed right before serving or the delicate greens start to wilt
03 -
- Buy cherries that are firm and deeply colored for the sweetest flavor
- Toast extra nuts and keep them in a jar for spontaneous salad upgrades