
Quinoa, Mango and Sugar Snap Salad with Limes & Mint
Zingy & perfumed quinoa salad with limes, mint, basil and sweet mangoes and I love the Asian inspired dressing with lots of limes and fresh ginger.
It’s late summer in Cape Town with the a few hints that Autumn is around the corner. I love the arrival of new organic fruits and especially the Sabre variety mangoes. You can get your hands on some NEW SEASON ORGANIC MANGOES at Wild Organics (here).
Seasonal Swaps: You can use finely sliced fennel (2 med bulbs) and I think the addition of dill will be lovely too, it will add to the perfume of the limes and the mangoes.
Sugar Free: I have added the sugar to balance the Asian inspired dressing of salty, tangy and sweet but you can half the sugar or leave out completely as the sweetness of the mangoes might be enough to balance.
Getting Ahead:Â The salad will benefit from made 1 hour ahead of serving. The quinoa can be made up to 2 days ahead.

Quinoa, Mango and Sugar Snap Salad with Limes & Mint
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
- 2 limes zest & juice
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 teaspoons brown sugar
- 200 g sugar snap peas washed and roughly chopped
- 2 firm but ripe mangoes
- 1 cucumber peeled and halved lengthways
- 15 g mint leaves only, roughly chopped
- 15 g basil leaves only, roughly chopped
- small bunch spring onions trimmed and finely chopped
Instructions
- Put the quinoa in a saucepan, add 2 cups cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil then simmer gently, lid ajar for 12-15 minutes until the white tails are visible on the quinoa and all the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat, and let the quinoa steam covered for 3 minutes. Tip into a flat bowl and fluff with a fork, season with olive oil, salt & pepper. Let the quinoa cool.
- In the meantime, make the dressing by whisking together in a large bowl the grated ginger, lime zest and juice, olive oil, sugar and a heavy pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Peel the mang and cut the mango flesh away from its stone, cut into 1cm dice, add to the dressing bowl.
- Using a teaspoon, scrape out the watery seeds from the cucumber, cut into 4 strips lengthways then into 1cm dice and add it to the mango dressing.
- When ready to serve, combine the quinoa with the dressing ingredients, add the mange tout, spring onions and herbs and toss well. taste and season with more lime juice, salt and pepper. Enjoy!