Description
A fresh, nutritious salad combining fluffy quinoa, crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, and dried cranberries with a tangy-sweet vinaigrette. Perfect for meal prep or entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 2 medium crisp apples, diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water using a fine-mesh strainer for 30 seconds to remove any bitter coating.
- 2. In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa and water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- 3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender.
- 4. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and spread on a baking sheet to cool completely.
- 5. While quinoa cools, dice apples into bite-sized pieces and toss with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.
- 6. Chop walnuts, dice celery, finely chop red onion, and chop fresh parsley.
- 7. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- 8. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, diced apples, dried cranberries, walnuts, celery, and red onion.
- 9. Pour dressing over the mixture and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- 10. Fold in fresh parsley, taste, and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best texture, add fresh apples just before serving if making ahead. Can be made vegan by using maple syrup instead of honey. Substitute pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for walnuts if nut-free needed.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 7g