Summer Quinoa Salad with Sweet Rice Syrup Dressing
Summer Quinoa Salad with Sweet Rice Syrup Dressing
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4
Author: Chef Marlene Watson Tara
Date Published: June 25, 2026
Ingredients
1 cup yellow quinoa
1⅓ cups filtered water
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1 large peach, thinly sliced
2 tangerines or mandarins
2 tbsp rice mirin
2 tbsp rice syrup
1 tbsp lime juice
Zest of 1 lime
1 tsp garlic, crushed
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
Fresh thyme, for garnish
Description
A light summer quinoa salad with red onion, spring onions, sweet red pepper, peach, and tangerine or mandarin wedges. Tossed with a sweet rice syrup, mirin, lime, garlic, and ginger dressing, it is fresh, bright, and gently aromatic.
How-to? Steps
Step 1: Cook the quinoa
Rinse the quinoa well. Place the quinoa and water in a heavy-based pan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and cook on low for 12–15 minutes.
Step 2: Steam and cool
Switch off the heat and allow the quinoa to steam for another 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Step 3: Make the dressing
In a small bowl, mix the rice mirin, rice syrup, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, and ginger. Set aside to allow the flavours to develop.
Step 4: Prepare the fruit
Place the peach in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen the skin, then peel and slice. Peel the tangerines or mandarins and separate into wedges.
Step 5: Assemble
In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, red onion, spring onions, red pepper, peach, and citrus wedges. Fold in the dressing.
Step 6: Serve
Garnish with fresh thyme.