A lightly sweet cumin-spiced dressing fills this arugula salad with flavor, while avocado, apricots, quinoa & chickpeas make it hearty & satisfying.
I’ll never get tired of an arugula salad with avocado and quinoa. They’re probably my favorite three ingredients to use. I love this sweet combo of dried apricots, peppery arugula, smoky cumin, and fruity Arbequina Olive Oil. (I almost named this Arbequina Quinoa – but try to say that one five times fast).
The Key to a Good Arugula Salad is a Good Dressing
The cumin-spiced salad dressing really makes this salad shine, and its key ingredient is Arbequina Olive Oil. So what’s Arbequina Olive Oil? It’s a light and fruity extra-virgin olive oil that’s perfect for flavorful dressings like this one. Coincidentally, I’ve been buying it long before the folks at California Olive Ranch started sending it to me. Try it, I promise you’ll love it. (I usually get mine at Whole Foods). You can also use any quality extra-virgin olive oil in this recipe.
The dressing here is a simple Moroccan-inspired combination of cumin, garlic, lemon, and honey. If you’re vegan, you can use maple syrup in place of the honey, and the dressing will still have the sweet, spiced flavor that perfects this salad. Its flavor is especially good against the chewy dried apricots and toasted almonds.
If you love salads as much as I do, check out many many more in the salad section of our recipe index!
Arugula Salad with Quinoa, Apricot & Avocado
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- juice of 1 medium lemon
- ½ to 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, if vegan
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chopped chives
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup chickpeas, drained, rinsed
- a few big handfuls of arugula
- ¼ cup dried apricots
- 1 small avocado, cubed
- ¼ cup chopped, toasted almonds
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lemon, honey, cumin, chives, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, chickpeas, arugula, dried apricots, and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Drizzle in ¾ of the dressing and toss again. Top with the avocado, chopped almonds, chives, and drizzle the remaining dressing. Season to taste and serve.
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I’ve made this recipe several times, and every time, it’s a crowd-pleaser! So summery & delicious!
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it so much!
Made this salad for a picnic – added watermelon radishes for an extra splash of color. I’m vegan so for the dressing I used agave instead of honey. This dressing is fantastic, I’ve also made the dressing on its own with brown rice syrup and also with maple syrup instead of the honey. This dressing has become a staple in my home.
Hi Valerie – I’m so glad you enjoyed this one (and the other recipes!)