A quick and easy apple quinoa salad that’s perfect for a light meal or side dish.
Why Make Apple Quinoa Salad
Quinoa salad is always a great choice for an easy, versatile recipe that’s nutrition and tastes great. Here’s why we love this salad:
- Quick and easy to make with simple ingredients.
- Flexible. Throw in any extra veggies, top with cheese, add protein, mix and match nuts, there’s no wrong answer.
- Nutritious! This salad is plant-based, gluten-free and a good source of protein and fibre.
- Meal Prep. This salad is perfect for making ahead of time because the flavours only get better the next day.
- Sharing. It’s a great option to bring to a picnic or BBQ.
Try some quinoa salad variations with this Kale Quinoa Salad, Summer Quinoa Salad or Edamame Quinoa Salad!
Ingredient Notes
This recipe is flexible so feel free to mix and match, swap things out, add some extras and make it your own.
Here are suggested substitutions:
- Quinoa: This salad would also work with barley or farro.
- Spinach: Finely chopped kale or arugula would also work. If using kale, just be sure to massage it with 1 tsp olive oil to soften before adding to the salad.
- Cranberries: Omit or swap for raisins, dried blueberries or cherries or chopped dates.
- Walnuts: Swap for pecans or if you need the salad to be nut-free you can do sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
- Lemon: Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar works well as a substitute if you don’t have a lemon on hand.
- Shallot: Red onion is a good substitute.
- Herbs: You can leave the parsley out if you’re not a fan or try mint, basil or cilantro.
Please see the recipe card below for the full recipe with ingredient quantities.
Additions
This is a great recipe for adding any extra veggies you have lying around. Quick tip, make sure to dice all your veggies so you get more in every bite!
- Veggies: Grated carrots, bell pepper or diced cucumber are good additions. Add half a cup of any or all!
- Cheese: For tanginess, serve topped with feta or goat cheese.
- Protein: Add shredded chicken, shrimp, tofu or tempeh for a complete meal.
- Wrap It: Add the salad to a wrap or pita with hummus and lettuce for a quick lunch.
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Rinse the quinoa then cook according to package instructions.
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While the quinoa is cooking, add the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, maple syrup, garlic, shallot and salt and pepper to a large bowl and whisk together.
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Dice the celery and apple, chop the parsley and add to the bowl with the walnuts, cranberries, chickpeas and spinach.
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Once the quinoa is cooked, add and toss to combine. Taste and season if needed. Serve right away or chill until ready to serve.
Leftover quinoa salad can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 414kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 29mg, Potassium: 549mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 1814IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 76mg, Iron: 3mg
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend it, yes. This can help remove any bitterness.
It’s meant to be a cold salad but if serving right away, it will be warm from the quinoa. The flavours improve after chilling, so it works well for making in advance!
Any kind is suitable! I suggest a variety that’s crunchy. If you like it more sour, then green apple is good, sweeter, then Gala, Fuji, Cosmic Crisp or any other variety you enjoy.
You can store the salad for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
