Apple Walnut Quinoa Salad

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Apple Walnut Quinoa Salad

Crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, and sweet-tart cranberries tossed with fluffy quinoa and a maple-Dijon dressing. Fresh, hearty, and ready in 20 minutes. This salad is delicious warm or cold and makes a perfect make-ahead lunch or side.
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Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Meal Type: Lunch, Salads, Sides
Special: 10 Ingredients or Less, 30 Minutes or Less, Gluten-Free, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Oil-Free, Seasonal (Cold Weather), Soy-Free
Tool: Stove
Ingredient: Cranberries, quinoa, Spinach, walnuts
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the salad:
  • 1 cup(s) uncooked quinoa
  • 2 cup(s) water or vegetable broth
  • 2 cup(s) baby spinach roughly chopped
  • ½ cup(s) walnuts roughly chopped
  • 1 apple any kind, diced
  • ¼ cup(s) dried cranberries
  • ¼ small red onion thinly sliced
For the dressing:
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  • Cook the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water (or broth). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12–15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.
  • Prepare the dressing: In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and pepper.
  • Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, spinach, walnuts, apple, cranberries, and red onion. Pour over the dressing and toss gently to coat.
  • Serve: Enjoy immediately or chill for 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Notes
Oil-free option: Replace olive oil with 2 tablespoons of tahini or unsweetened applesauce, thinning with a splash of water as needed.
Nut-free: Use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead of walnuts.
Make-ahead: Keeps up to 3 days in the fridge. Toss again before serving.
Add protein: Toss in cooked chickpeas, lentils, vegan chicken, baked tofu, or vegan feta for a heartier meal.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 514mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1692IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg
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