Peaches ‘N’ Quinoa Salad & Pinot Grigio

Celebrate summer with this easy and light peach salad. Juicy peaches, crunchy pecans, hearty quinoa, and fresh spinach with maple tahini dressing.

I don’t get to the farmer’s market enough, guys.

I went there this weekend with Dan and Harper on Saturday morning, and it was such a treat!

Everything was ridiculously fresh and appealing, and I really wanted to just buy the whole stand and take it to go.

Instead, I picked out some juicy yellow peaches and a few bags of freshly picked spinach for a fresh summer salad.

This Peaches ‘N’ Quinoa Salad is simple and sweet with only a handful of ingredients to keep things light and easy for summer.

All you need is some juicy stone-fruit and an optional glass of white!

Do you and your siblings have any funny names for each other that really only the two of would “get”?

My sister and I used to call each other Peach growing up (and still do to this day).

It’s a term of endearment at this point, and we both answer to it with as much seriousness and certainty as if we’d used “Lauren” and “Rachel”.

It all started after watching What a Girl Wants back in 2013– did you ever watch it?

There are two characters– mild-mannered and rather boring twins called Peach & Pear who always spoke in unison.

Apparently, we decided that was US.

So, needless to say, peaches have a special place in my heart.

If you’re a peach lover, this salad is for you.

Usually, I’m not a big fruit in my salad kind of salad fan, but when I am, it’s probably because the fruit steals the freakin’ show.

This salad is fruit forward, with one whole juicy peach in each serving.

If you’re not a fan of peaches, I’ve also tried this salad with plums and apricot for a similarly sweet stone-fruit experience.

Or, if you want to go all “What a Girl Wants” on me, you could go with pears, too, for more of an autumnal vibe.

OK, Peach?

The rest of the ingredients are simple and complimentary to let the ripe peaches shine– cooked quinoa (any color), fresh spinach leaves, and chopped pecans.

The fresher the spinach the better for this recipe– promise me no sad wilted packaged spinach will make its way into the platter, OK?

For an extra layer of flavor, try toasting your pecans at 350°F for ~10 minutes until fragrant and browned.

Usually, though, I like to add mine in raw to keep things simple.

This fresh salad is all tied together with a light oil-free maple tahini dressing.

Slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and totally drinkable.

OK, maybe don’t drink it, but it really is that good.

It’s lemony, peppery, and maple-y, all things that taste incredible with succulent peaches.

If you like more citrus like I do, try adding a fresh squeeze of lemon on top of the salad dressing for a little more zip.

This dressing serves four, so don’t worry, you’ll have multiple opportunities to drizzle it on salads and bowls!

I couldn’t resist opening my shipment of 90+ Cellars Lot 42 Pinot Grigio from 90+ Cellars to pair with this salad spread!

Usually, I’m not a white wine drinker, but Dan has been infatuated with them lately so much that we’ve been alternating between white and red on our ritual wine-not-Wednesday date night.

(On Wednesdays I skip yoga and stay home so we can reconnect mid-week with some real talk and vino!)

I think his persistence is paying off because between him and the warmer weather, I’ve been craving whites over red.

(Who am I?!)

This beautiful golden wine is medium bodied with notes of ripe apple, pear, apricot, and honey.

It’s perfect enjoyed chilled on a hot summer’s day and is just PEACHY with this fresh salad!

Enjoy this Peaches ‘N’ Quinoa Salad as a delicious summer lunch or dinner.

It would be beautiful served on a platter for a summer party as a light side salad.

If you’re looking to make this salad a little heartier, try adding your favorite protein, like hemp seeds, chickpeas, or baked tofu.

Only serving for one? That’s how I enjoy mine most of the time!

Simply divide the recipe by three and use one ripe peach per serving.

This is one of those salads that is best enjoyed fresh, so I recommend tossing it all together right before serving or enjoy within the same day if you’re meal prepping.

(Pro-tip: If you’re meal prepping, pack the quinoa and peaches at the bottom and the spinach on top. Add the dressing and pecans just before serving to prevent sogginess!)

I like to enjoy mine out on our patio with a glass of Pinot Grigio and Miss Harper.

Enjoy!

If you make this Peaches ‘N’ Quinoa Salad with a little Pinot Grigio, let me know!

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipes like this one to make later.

For more plants plus wine pairings, check out my Easy Raw Cashew Cheese &  Rosé, Spinach, Artichoke, & Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms With Cabernet and Roasted Beet Salad with Citrus Tahini & Prosecco.

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XO Lauren

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This post is brought to you by 90+ Cellars, but all words and eats are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me hungry!