Award-winning Strawberry Basil Quinoa Salad Is What Summer Is All About Salads Grains Gluten-free Side Dishes Farm to Table Recipe

Warmer weather calls for strawberries and salads, and this strawberry basil quinoa salad recipe is perhaps the perfect salad. The basil and quinoa boost flavor and nutrition, making it a lovely light lunch or dinner.

The Strawberry Commission held a Kids Cook-Off recipe competition in 2015, and the winners were selected by teen chef and FOX's Masterchef Junior Season 3 winner Nathan Odom. Danielle McNerney, a 12-year-old from Maryland, won the grand prize for this strawberry basil quinoa salad recipe. Odom said he chose Danielle because her dish was easy, healthy and tasty.

Here is your shopping list for this basil strawberry quinoa salad recipe: fresh strawberries, olive oil, fresh basil, quinoa, pistachios and crumbled feta cheese. Sweet, salty, herbaceous and earthy! Serve this quinoa salad for lunch or dinner.

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Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes, plus quinoa cooking time
Total Time: 14 minutes, plus quinoa cooking time
Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced or chopped
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked (makes about 3 cups)
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
• crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Helpful Products

• Saucepan
• Salad Bowl
• Wooden Spoon
• Salt and Pepper
• Paper Towels

Recipe Notes

• Not a fan or strawberries? Try blueberries, raspberry, mango or fresh peaches.

• Store the leftover salad in an airtight container.

Here's how to make it:

1. To flavor the olive oil with basil, in small pan, heat the olive oil and then sauté basil until crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove basil and let drain on paper towel.
2. In mixing bowl, gently stir the strawberries, quinoa, pistachios and flavored olive oil together. 
3. Garnish with feta cheese and the crumbled fried basil leaves.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Masterchef Junior.

Recipe cooking times and servings are approximate. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography. Need to convert cooking and baking measurements? Here are some kitchen conversion charts. Here's how to submit your recipes to 30Seconds.

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