Description
A fresh, crunchy autumn salad combining crisp apples, protein-rich quinoa, toasted nuts, and a zingy dressing for a light yet satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (185g) white quinoa, uncooked
- 2 medium crisp apples (e.g., Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), diced with skin on
- ½ cup (60g) chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
- ¼ cup (40g) dried cranberries
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (20g) honey
- 1 teaspoon (5g) Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse 1 cup (185g) quinoa under cold water using a fine mesh strainer.
- Combine rinsed quinoa with 2 cups (475ml) water in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Turn off heat and let quinoa sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Fluff quinoa with a fork and transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly.
- While quinoa cooks, toast ½ cup (60g) chopped walnuts or pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant and golden.
- Core and dice 2 medium apples (keep skin on). Thinly slice 2 green onions and chop ¼ cup fresh parsley. Set aside.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together 3 tbsp (45ml) olive oil, 2 tbsp (30ml) apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp (20g) honey, 1 tsp (5g) Dijon mustard, and salt & pepper to taste.
- Add diced apples, toasted nuts, ¼ cup (40g) dried cranberries, green onions, and parsley to the quinoa.
- Pour dressing over and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or vinegar if desired.
- Let the salad sit for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
[‘Always rinse quinoa to remove bitterness and keep it fluffy.’, ‘Toast nuts in a dry skillet for best flavor and quickness.’, ‘Use firm, crisp apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith to avoid sogginess.’, ‘Let salad rest for 10 minutes before serving to enhance flavor melding.’, ‘Make extra dressing for drizzling on other dishes.’, ‘Room temperature quinoa helps dressing absorb better.’, ‘Keep nuts chunky for satisfying texture.’, ‘For vegan option, substitute honey with maple syrup.’, ‘Add nuts fresh if storing leftovers to maintain crunch.’, ‘Salad keeps well refrigerated up to 3 days but does not freeze well.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 34
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 6
Keywords: apple quinoa salad, healthy salad, autumn salad, crunchy salad, quinoa recipe, fall salad, easy salad recipe