When I first moved to California over 30 years ago, I was introduced to the avocado and my love affair has continued.  I had never eaten an avocado before, nor had I tried guacamole. My then boyfriend (who is now Hubs) took me to a new fast casual restaurant called Baja Fresh and I ate a burrito with guacamole.  Holy deliciousness.  Now I buy avocados every week and smash them on toast, cube them into salads, turn them into pudding and brownies, mash them into guacamole, and blend them into dressings. I love their creaminess and healthy fats and fiber, and their versatility. I especially love this avocado dressing in this quinoa and jicama salad recipe I am sharing today.

Why you’ll love this quinoa and jicama salad recipe

• healthy WF plant-based salad; 
• can be eaten cold or room temp; 
• great for summer entertaining;
• great for meal prep for school lunches and to take to the office.

Ingredients 

• Quinoa – is a pseudo-cereal which contains all the essential amino acids. I used white quinoa, but you can use red, black, or a mix.
• Jicama – is a root vegetable that is popular in Mexico. You can eat it raw or in stir fries and it tastes like a flavorless watermelon, but crunchier. 
• Cherry Tomatoes – are tiny tomatoes with delicious flavor and sweetness. I love adding them to salads.
• Jalapeño – is a medium-sized chili pepper. It’s not as spicy as other chili peppers, especially if you remove the seeds. 
• Scallions – add a subtle onion flavor to this salad without being too strong. You could also use chives. 
• Cilantro – is a popular herb in Mexican recipes. It’s delicious here! If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can try using mint or omit. 
• Lime juice – provides a nice acidity to the salad and helps the avocado dressing from turning brown.  
• Avocado – is wonderful in salads to add a nice creamy element. It has almost no flavor and I use it in this recipe to make the dressing creamy. 
• Queso fresco – is a mild soft cheese similar to feta. Cheese adds salt, creaminess, and flavor to recipes. I think feta makes everything taste better, which you could use if you can’t find queso fresco in your area. 

How to make quinoa and jicama salad? 

1. Place quinoa in a saucepan and add a healthy pinch of sea salt and 1 ¾ cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower to a simmer. Cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit covered for 10 minutes.
2. Transfer quinoa to a serving bowl and allow to cool slightly. If you’re in a pinch, you can spread the quinoa on a baking sheet to cool faster. Fluff with a fork.
3. Add jicama, tomatoes, jalapeño, scallions and cilantro to the quinoa. Toss to combine.
4. Place avocado in a blender or food processor and blend with lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Add a few tablespoons of water (I added 2) to achieve a consistency like Greek yogurt.
5. Pour avocado dressing over quinoa salad and season with pepper. Toss to combine. Taste for seasoning. Top with crumbled cheese, if desired.

Tips 

• If you want to use already cooked quinoa, you’ll need about 3 cups
• Can add hemp seeds or chopped cooked chicken or shrimp to boost the protein
• Leftovers are great for several days and because the avocado is blended with the lime juice, it doesn’t turn brown. 
• Another way to serve this salad is to toss all the salad components together, spread the avocado dressing on a platter, and top the dressing with the salad. 

Substitutions

• Quinoa – cooked farro, barley, or even cooked chickpeas
• Jicama – 1 apple + 1 Persian cucumber chopped
• Jalapeño – pinch of cayenne, dash of hot sauce or omit
• Scallions – chives or shallot
• Cilantro – omit if you dislike. Or you can try mint.
• Queso fresco – cotija cheese, sheep’s/goat’s milk feta, violife vegan feta or omit

Other recipes you may like

*Southwestern Quinoa Salad 

*Quinoa Salad with Cherries, Almonds, Celery and Pecorino

*Winter Salad with Grapefruit, Crispy Quinoa, and Jalapeño-Mint Vinaigrette

*Mediterranean Quinoa Salad 

*Quinoa Tabbouleh 

*Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Feta and Dill

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Pamela Salzman (@pamelasalzman)

If you give this quinoa and jicama salad recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes,  updates and things I’m loving lately.  If you enjoy this recipe, I taught it last year in my online class!  Give me an hour a month, and I’ll make you a better, healthier cook!