Crab and spinach salad with jalapeño vinaigrette

Now that it’s too hot to turn on the oven, and our gardens are overflowing with beautiful jalapeños, this quick and easy summer salad is the perfect meal.

I love a quick full-flavored salad. I started adding the protein-packed power of quinoa to my salads to give them the staying power and keep me fuller longer. Now it’s in nearly every salad I make. This simple and delicious vinaigrette takes just a minute to make and is so delicious, you’ll never go back to store-bought.

Crab and spinach salad with jalapeño vinaigrette recipe

Yield 4 side dish portions

Ingredients: 

For the salad

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup baby arugula, washed
• 1 cup baby spinach, washed
• 6 ounces lump crabmeat, drained
• 1 large heirloom tomato, chopped

For the vinaigrette

• 1 large jalapeño, stem and seeds removed, chopped
•  1 clove garlic, rough chopped
•  1 small shallot, rough chopped
•  1tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
•  1/4 cup olive oil
• Pinch salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Add the quinoa to a dry pan, toast until you can smell it cooking, about 3 minutes. Add the water, bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the lid at a vent. Cook for 16 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Let the quinoa cool to room temperature.
2. Add quinoa, arugula, spinach, crabmeat, and tomatoes to a bowl , toss to combine.
3. In a blender add the jalapeño, garlic, shallots, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until well combined. Drizzle desired amount of vinaigrette on the salad (this recipe makes more dressing than this salad needs, save the extra for future salads).

More salad recipes

Lemon cashew chicken salad
Skinny broccoli salad
Watermelon feta salad