Begin by rinsing 1 cup of quinoa under cold water for about 30 seconds to remove any bitterness. In a medium pot, combine the rinsed quinoa with 1 ¾ cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

While quinoa cools, prepare fresh ingredients: dice the ripe avocado, tomato, and cucumbers into bite-sized pieces. Chop the red onion and cilantro, and slice the jalapeño if using. Keep ingredients organized on a cutting board.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, diced avocado, chopped tomato, cucumbers, cilantro, and red onion. Gently fold in the sliced jalapeño if desired.

Drizzle olive oil and lime juice over the salad mixture. Sprinkle in kosher salt to taste.

Gently toss the salad ingredients together until well-coated, being careful not to mash the avocado.

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container without the avocado for meal prepping. Add avocado before serving to keep it fresh.