Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad (Printable View)
Fresh, vibrant dish with quinoa, apples, cranberries, kale, feta, and a tangy Dijon dressing.
# Ingredient List:
→ Salad Base
01 -
1 1/2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
02 -
3/4 cup tricolor quinoa, rinsed and drained
03 -
1/2 cup dried cranberries
04 -
1 large bunch curly kale (approximately 5 ounces), roughly chopped
05 -
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
06 -
2 medium unpeeled apples, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, chopped
07 -
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 -
1/3 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
09 -
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
→ Dressing
10 -
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
11 -
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 -
1 tablespoon honey
13 -
Juice of 1 lemon
14 -
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
15 -
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Preparation Steps:
01 -
In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring water or vegetable broth to a boil. Add rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and scatter dried cranberries over quinoa. Cover and let steam for 5 minutes.
02 -
Place chopped kale in a large mixing bowl and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Massage the kale with your hands for about 1 minute until slightly softened.
03 -
Add cooked quinoa with cranberries, chopped apples, sliced red onion, toasted pecans, and crumbled feta to the massaged kale. Toss thoroughly to mix.
04 -
In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
05 -
Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss well until evenly coated before serving.
# Supplementary Details:
01 -
For optimal flavor and texture, allow the quinoa to cool to room temperature before adding to the greens.