Description
A vibrant and nutritious Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad featuring tender quinoa, crisp apples, tangy dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, and creamy feta, all tossed with a zesty homemade Dijon mustard and honey dressing. This salad is perfect as a light meal or a wholesome side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Quinoa and Fruit
- 1 1/2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup tricolor quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 medium unpeeled apples, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, chopped
Vegetables and Nuts
- 1 large bunch curly kale (about 5 oz.), roughly chopped
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
Cheese
- 2 oz. crumbled feta
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook Quinoa: In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring water or vegetable broth to a boil. Add the rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Steam with Cranberries: Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork, then add the dried cranberries on top. Cover the saucepan again and let it steam for 5 minutes to soften the cranberries and blend the flavors.
- Prepare Kale: While the quinoa cooks, place the roughly chopped kale in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Massage the kale with your hands for about 1 minute to soften and release its flavor and moisture.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: To the massaged kale, add the fluffy quinoa with cranberries, chopped apples, thinly sliced red onion, toasted pecans, and crumbled feta. Toss everything together gently to combine.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, lemon juice, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Season the dressing with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Dress Salad: Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss well to evenly coat all ingredients. Adjust seasoning if needed, then serve fresh.
Notes
- For extra crunch, you can lightly toast the pecans in a dry skillet before chopping.
- Feel free to swap kale for spinach or another sturdy leafy green if preferred.
- This salad keeps well refrigerated for up to 2 days but is best enjoyed fresh for optimal texture.
- The recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.
- To make it vegan, omit the feta or substitute with a vegan cheese alternative.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cranberry apple quinoa salad, healthy quinoa salad, kale salad, fall salad, vegetarian salad, gluten free salad, easy quinoa recipe
