It's Tuesday, October 21st, here in Austin, Texas, and the weather is absolute magic. The intense summer heat has finally broken, and we're in that perfect sweet spot of warm days and cool, crisp evenings. While my kitchen is mostly switching over to fall flavours, I'm still finding a few gorgeous late-season peaches at the market, and I'm determined to savour every last bite of summer. It's also the perfect excuse to serve something lighter alongside cozy dishes like Crispy Baked Potato Slices for a balanced, satisfying meal.
This "Millionaire" Peach Quinoa Salad is my favorite way to do it. It feels so luxurious and vibrant, but it's secretly a hearty, healthy powerhouse. It's the perfect blend of sweet peaches, peppery arugula, nutty toasted pecans, and salty feta, all brought together with a bright honey-lemon dressing. It's a complete meal in a bowl. If you want to round it out further, this Autumn Apple Feta Salad makes a beautiful seasonal companion, or follow it with Pumpkin Pie Cookies to ease into fall baking.
Jump to:
Tested in my Austin kitchen: My key discovery was to toss the fresh arugula in just before serving. I prepped a batch to take for lunch, and the arugula wilted by day two, which was fine, but not as good. Tossing it in fresh keeps that wonderful, peppery crunch!
A Fresh and Hearty Salad for Any Season
This is the kind of salad that bridges the gap between a light side and a satisfying main. The cooked quinoa and toasted pecans make it substantial, while the fresh fruit and greens keep it bright and refreshing. It's my go-to for a "fancy"-feeling desk lunch, a light dinner on the patio, or a beautiful side dish for a weekend brunch.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect Flavour Balance: It hits every single note-sweet (peaches, honey), savory (feta, pecans), tart (lemon), and peppery (arugula).
- Incredible Textures: You get a fantastic contrast of soft peaches, creamy feta, chewy quinoa, and a wonderful crunch from the toasted pecans.
- Hearty & Healthy: This salad is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with protein from quinoa and feta, healthy fats from nuts, and vitamins from the fruit.
- Fast & Easy: If you have leftover quinoa, this entire salad comes together in just 15 minutes!
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to create this vibrant salad. For the full list with precise measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post!
For the Salad
- Quinoa: I use tri-color quinoa for its visual appeal and slightly nutty flavour, but regular white quinoa is perfect too.
- Arugula: Fresh, peppery baby arugula is the perfect green base.
- Peaches: 4 ripe fresh peaches. If you can find Freestone peaches, they are the easiest to dice.
- Feta Cheese: A block of Greek feta in brine that you crumble yourself will give you the best creamy, salty flavour.
- Pecans: Toasted pecans are a must (you can also use walnuts).
- Dried Cranberries: Or dried cherries for a pop of sweet-tart, chewy texture.
For the Honey-Lemon Dressing
- Honey: A good local Austin honey is my favorite, but any runny honey works.
- Lemon Juice: Must be freshly squeezed lemon juice!
- Olive Oil: A high-quality, fruity extra-virgin olive oil.
- Seasoning: Simple Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
How to Make Millionaire Peach Quinoa Salad
This salad is all about simple assembly. The most important step is to let your quinoa cool completely!
Step 1: Cook the Quinoa
First, cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. A pro tip: I always rinse my quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve before cooking. As experts at The Kitchn explain, rinsing quinoa removes its natural bitter coating, called saponin.
Once cooked, fluff the quinoa with a fork and spread it out on a baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. This helps it cool down quickly and prevents it from clumping together. You need it to be at room temperature or chilled for this salad.
Step 2: Make the Dressing
While the quinoa is cooking or cooling, I make the dressing. In a small bowl or a glass jar with a lid, I combine the honey, fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. I find that whisking the honey and lemon juice together first helps the honey dissolve before I add the oil. Then, I whisk (or shake) vigorously until the dressing is well combined and emulsified.
Step 3: Assemble the Salad
In a large salad bowl, I combine the diced peaches, peppery arugula, cooled quinoa, crumbled feta, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries.
Step 4: Dress and Serve
I drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and gently toss everything together until it's just coated. I try not to overmix, as I don't want to break up the feta or peaches. I give it a final taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper if it needs it. You can serve it immediately or let it chill for 15 minutes for the flavours to meld!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Hot Quinoa: This is the most common pitfall. Adding hot quinoa to the bowl will instantly wilt the arugula into a soggy mess and start to melt the feta. The quinoa must be room temperature or chilled.
- Not Toasting the Nuts: Don't skip this step! Raw pecans are fine, but toasted pecans (3-5 minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat) have a much deeper, nuttier, crunchier flavour that is essential to the salad.
- Dressing Too Early: If you're making this ahead for a party, wait to add the arugula and the dressing until just before serving. The other ingredients (quinoa, peaches, feta, nuts) can be combined, but the arugula is best when fresh.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Make it Your Own: This salad is a perfect template. If peaches aren't in season, this recipe is amazing with diced Honeycrisp apples or even cubed, roasted butternut squash (a great fall twist!).
- Rinse Your Onions: If you add red onion (a great variation!), dice it and soak it in a small bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. This removes that harsh, raw bite, leaving only the crisp flavour.
- Prep Ahead: You can cook the quinoa, make the dressing, and toast the nuts up to 3 days in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge (nuts at room temp). This makes assembly take just 5 minutes.
Variations
This recipe is wonderfully adaptable. Try these swaps!
- Add Protein: This salad is a fantastic base for grilled chicken breast or shrimp.
- Swap the Cheese: If you're not a fan of feta, this is delicious with creamy crumbled goat cheese or shaved Manchego.
- Swap the Nuts: Toasted walnuts or slivered almonds are a great substitute for pecans.
- Make it Vegan: Simply use maple syrup instead of honey and swap the feta for a high-quality vegan feta alternative.
How to Serve
This Peach Quinoa Salad is a true all-star.
- It's hearty enough to be a satisfying, healthy lunch all on its own.
- It's the perfect elegant side dish for a potluck, barbecue, or a holiday meal like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- I love serving it alongside pan-seared salmon or grilled pork tenderloin.
Make Ahead and Storage
This salad is fantastic for meal prep!
- Make Ahead: Cook the quinoa, make the dressing, and toast the nuts. Store these components separately (quinoa and dressing in the fridge, nuts in an airtight container at room temp) for up to 3 days. Dice the peaches just before assembling.
- Storage: For leftovers, I recommend storing the salad without the arugula, as it will get soggy. The quinoa, peach, and feta mixture will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Just toss with fresh arugula before eating.
Recipe Notes / What I Learned
I call this "Millionaire Salad" not because it's expensive, but because it looks and tastes so incredibly rich and luxurious. The first time I made it, I just threw everything in a bowl, but I've learned that the order matters. Tossing the arugula in at the very end, just before serving, is the key to keeping that beautiful, fresh, peppery crunch against the soft peaches and creamy feta.
Nutrition Snapshot
Estimated Nutrition Per Serving: ~410 calories · 10g protein · 45g carbs · 22g fat (This is an approximation and can vary based on the exact ingredients and serving size.)
Millionaire Peach Salad
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Pot for quinoa
Ingredients
Group: Salad
- 4 ripe peaches diced
- 2 cups fresh arugula
- 1 cup cooked quinoa cooled
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup pecans toasted and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries or cherries
Group: Dressing
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by cooking the quinoa according to package instructions. Once cooked, let it cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced peaches, arugula, cooked quinoa, crumbled feta cheese, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad mixture and gently toss everything together, ensuring an even coating of the dressing.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately for the freshest taste or allow to chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes for a more melded flavor.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Can I make this salad gluten-free?
Yes! This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written. Quinoa is a gluten-free pseudo-grain.
My are a little hard. Can I still use them?
Yes! If your peaches are still a bit firm, they will actually hold their shape even better in the salad. The lemon and honey dressing will help soften them slightly.
Can I use frozen peaches?
I would not recommend frozen peaches for this recipe, as they will be very soft and watery upon thawing and will make the salad soggy. This salad is best with fresh peaches or a firm fresh apple
