Cherry Quinoa Salad With Lamb (Printable Version)

Protein-rich Mediterranean salad with spiced lamb, juicy cherries, quinoa, and herb dressing.

# What You 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 Components

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:

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 and fluff with a fork. Allow to cool completely.
02 - Toss lamb strips with olive oil, ground cumin, coriander, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Let marinate while the quinoa cooks to absorb the Mediterranean spices.
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 marinated lamb strips for 2-3 minutes per side until browned and cooked to desired doneness. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
05 - Place cooled quinoa, fresh cherries, spinach or arugula, sliced red onion, crumbled feta, toasted nuts, mint, and parsley in a large mixing bowl.
06 - Add sliced lamb to the salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the entire salad and toss gently to coat evenly. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra herbs and nuts.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sweet cherries and savory lamb create this incredible flavor dance that wakes up your whole palate
  • Everything can be prepped ahead so you are not stuck in the kitchen when guests arrive
  • It looks absolutely stunning on a platter like something out of a food magazine but comes together in under an hour
02 -
  • Let the lamb rest for at least 5 minutes after cooking or all those delicious juices will end up on your cutting board instead of in your salad
  • The dressing can be made a day ahead but wait to dress the salad until right before serving or the greens will wilt
  • Room temperature quinoa absorbs the dressing better than cold quinoa straight from the refrigerator
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife and stable cutting board when pitting cherries to keep them looking whole and pretty
  • Toast your spices in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding them to the lamb for an extra layer of flavor

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