Description
Powerhouse Quinoa Salad – This healthy quinoa salad is PACKED with superfood nutrients and flavor. It’s the perfect healthy meal prep lunch! (Gluten-free + vegan)
Ingredients
Scale
For The Powerhouse Quinoa Salad:
- 3 cups cooked, cooled quinoa (Made from 1 cup dry quinoa + 2 cups water)*
- 1 small green apple, cored and diced
- 1 small Honeycrisp apple (or another red apple), cored and diced
- 1–2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves, torn or roughly chopped
- 2–3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped
- Optional: feta or cotija cheese to sprinkle
For The Balsamic Dressing:
- 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup (can sub honey if not vegan)
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cooked and cooled quinoa, apples, celery, spinach leaves, cranberries, walnuts, (and cheese, if using).
- In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, honey, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. (Dressing will keep 1 week in the refrigerator.)
- Add half of the dressing to the salad and stir to combine.
- Taste and add additional dressing, as desired.
Notes
How To Prepare the Quinoa. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Add 1 cup rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let steam 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Let cool.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Vegetarian
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Powerhouse Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Salad, Healthy Quinoa Salad