This delicious fall cranberry quinoa salad with kale is loaded with seasonal autumn ingredients, making it the star dish of your table! It is the perfect 30 minute vegetarian Thanksgiving dish, or simply enjoy a big bowl for lunch or dinner!
This hearty fall quinoa salad is popular during the autumn and winter season. The apples pair well with the crunchy walnuts, tart cranberries and earthy kale. Quinoa salad can be served warm or cold and is delicious as a vegetarian side dish or as a main.
Cranberry apple quinoa salad can be enjoyed on its own, but it also acts as the stuffing in my stuffed acorn squash with quinoa recipe! Quinoa salad pairs well with roasted balsamic Brussel sprouts and vegan garlic mashed potatoes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This 30-minute cranberry quinoa salad is easy to make and is loaded with seasonal produce.
- It's great recipe for meal prep and hearty enough to serve as a vegetarian salad for dinner!
- Quinoa is naturally gluten-free. It is also a good source of plant-based protein.
Ingredients Notes
- Quinoa - has a slightly nutty flavor that compliments the rest of the ingredients. Use regular or tri-colored quinoa.
- Vegetable broth - using vegetable broth instead of water gives the quinoa more flavor to absorb as it cooks. Feel free to buy or make your own veggie scrap broth.
- Olive oil - for sautéing the produce!
- Celery - adds flavor and crunch to the salad.
- Yellow onion - you can also use a red onion or sweet onion.
- Apple - the sautéed apple adds natural sweetness to the dish.
- Leek - adds a mild onion-like flavor.
- Kale - adds a beautiful pop of green to this dish.
- Spices - salt and cinnamon compliment the natural flavors of this salad.
- Walnuts - add a nutty flavor and crunchy texture.
- Goat cheese - this adds a creamy yet tangy element to the dish.
- Dressing - maple syrup, olive oil and balsamic vinegar create a simple yet delicious flavor, similar in taste to my sweet maple balsamic dressing.
Substitutions & Variations
- Butternut squash - add in roasted butternut squash cubes or try adding this salad to quinoa stuffed acorn squash!
- Feta - use feta instead of goat cheese.
- Vegan - you can omit the cheese or opt to use a creamy vegan cheese.
- Chickpeas - add in a can of chickpeas for added plant protein.
- Nuts - you can use slivered almonds or pecans in place of walnuts.
- Spinach - free free to use spinach instead of kale.
Step by Step Instructions
Cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package directions. Tip: use vegetable broth instead of water.
Sauté the diced onion, celery, apple, leek, salt and cinnamon in olive oil for 5-8 minutes.
Add in the kale and sauté for another 2-3 minutes until it is wilted. Turn off the heat.
Add the cooked quinoa to a large bowl. Add the sautéed veggies, walnuts, dried cranberries, maple syrup, half of the crumbled goat cheese, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Gently mix the quinoa salad together until combined.
Serve the quinoa salad with extra goat cheese on the side. Enjoy!
Hint: cook the quinoa in vegetable broth for extra flavor!
Storage & Freezing/Reheating/How to Store
Store quinoa salad in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can enjoy it warm, room temperature or cold from the fridge. If you want it warm, I recommend reheating in in the microwave.
I do not recommend freezing this salad due to the kale and goat cheese. It tastes best enjoyed within 5 days.
Top tip
Only add half the package of goat cheese (about 2- 2 ½ ounces) to the quinoa salad. The warm quinoa and sautéed produce will cause the goat cheese to slightly melt. I like to serve the remaining goat cheese on the side at the table for guests to sprinkle on top if they want any more.
Frequently Asked Questions
This salad can be enjoyed either fresh and warm or straight out of the fridge cold. Warming the salad makes it feel cozy and comforting. Enjoying the salad cold is great for lunch or if you're planning on meal prepping it.
Yes, quinoa is a whole-grain but is naturally gluten free.
Fall Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Kale
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked and rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2 celery stalks sliced
- 1 apple chopped
- 1 leek white part sliced
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups kale roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup walnuts chopped
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries (use no-sugar added cranberries if possible)
- 2 to 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Add the quinoa and vegetable broth (or water) to a medium saucepan. Bring the quinoa up to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Allow the quinoa to cook for 15 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- While the quinoa is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the yellow onion, celery, apple, leek, salt and cinnamon. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until the onion starts to run translucent.
- Add the kale one cup at a time, adding more as it begins to cook down. Sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the heat when the apple can be pierced by a fork, but still has a solid texture.
- Combine the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and a tablespoon of olive oil in a small bow. Stir together until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked quinoa, sautéed apple and veggies, dried cranberries, walnuts, half of the goat cheese and the maple-balsamic dressing.
- Gently toss together until the ingredients are combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve the quinoa salad with extra goat cheese crumbles on the side.
Notes
To make this vegan, omit the cheese or use vegan cheese.
Em says
Yum! I've enjoyed this as much lunch during the work week. The flavors are delicious!