Kale Quinoa Salad
Kale Quinoa Salad is the perfect light lunch or side dish, made with fresh kale massaged with olive oil and tossed with quinoa, feta, dried cranberries, and pecans in a lemon vinaigrette dressing!
Kale Quinoa Salad is the perfect side dish or meal prep, made with chopped kale tossed in a lemon vinaigrette, then mixed together with fluffy quinoa, dried cranberries, feta, red onion, and chopped pecans. This salad looks great on a holiday table, and is a delicious way to get your leafy greens!
If you loved this recipe, you may also love my Creamy Cucumber Salad, or my Orange Strawberry Salad Dressing!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Flavor Balance – This kale quinoa salad recipe has the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, along with crunchy nuts paired with creamy feta for a delicious texture, too!
Meal Prepping – This is the perfect meal prep with lots of fresh veggies for light lunches or a side dish with dinner. You can make it a complete meal, just add some grilled chicken or salmon on top for protein!
Beautiful + Colorful – There’s so many beautiful colors going on in this salad that make this the perfect side dish for holidays or potlucks!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Raw Kale. I used one bunch curly kale for this recipe, but you can also use dinosaur kale (lacinato kale or Tuscan kale), which would have a more mild flavor. Either type of kale works for this, just remove the stems and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Quinoa. Any type of quinoa will work. This has a nice almost nutty flavor that compliments this salad really well, and it’s a good source of plant protein.
If you’re gluten free, quinoa is similar to oats because it can be cross-contaminated with other grains at the farm level. Make sure you choose a package that is certified gluten free.
Broth. I like to use vegetable or chicken broth to add some more flavor to the quinoa, but you can also use water instead.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. You need this to massage the kale and help break down the fibers, and also to add to the vinaigrette. You can also use avocado oil.
Lemon Juice. This adds a nice bright and acidic flavor to the dressing.
Apple Cider Vinegar. This is my preferred flavor for vinaigrettes! It has a slightly sweeter flavor profile that balances the dressing well.
Dijon. This helps add flavor, creaminess, and holds the dressing together.
Garlic. I use a minced garlic clove, but you can also use 1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder instead.
Honey. This adds sweetness to the dressing.
Spices. I make this easy by using my Homemade Italian Seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Toppings. I like to enjoy kale salad with dried cranberries, feta cheese, red onion, and chopped pecans.
If you want the red onion to be less intense, try soaking the pieces in water for 10-15 minutes, then quickly rinsing before adding to the salad. White onion or yellow onion would also work.
If you’re not crazy about feta, try adding some goat cheese or parmesan shavings instead.
Kitchen Tools
For this quinoa kale salad recipe, you’ll need a saucepan to cook the quinoa, a measuring cup, and a large mixing bowl.
How to Make Kale Quinoa Salad
Time needed:Â 25 minutes
- Prep the quinoa and kale.
Add the broth and quinoa to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Once the quinoa has fully absorbed the broth (about 10-15 minutes), remove it from the heat entirely and fluff with a fork. Allow to cool completely before adding the cooked quinoa to the salad.
In a mixing bowl, drizzle the kale with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Using your hands, massage kale for 1-2 minutes, until it’s tender and a deeper green color.
- Mix the dressing.
In a measuring cup, add all of the dressing ingredients and whisk together until combined. It may separate, just whisk it again quickly before pouring it over the salad.
- Assemble the salad.
Once the quinoa has cooled, mix it together with the kale, dried cranberries, red onion, pecans, and feta. Drizzle the dressing over everything and lightly toss together, season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve.
Recipe Variations
- For a full meal, try adding some protein to this like grilled chicken, salmon, or steak. You can also try some chickpeas, white beans, or hard boiled eggs.
- This salad also goes well with fresh fruits like apples, pears, pomegranate seeds, or fresh berries.
- If you want more crunch, try adding some toasted almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.
- If you want to add some heat, try red pepper flakes, pickled jalapenos, or a drizzle of hot honey.
- Add more lemon flavor to the dressing with some lemon zest.
- Add other everyday veggies like bell peppers, ripe avocado, green onions, baby spinach, broccoli florets, or cauliflower florets.
Recipe Tip! Make sure the quinoa is cool before adding it to the salad. You can spread it out on a baking sheet with parchment paper to help it cool faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
This kale salad recipe is really versatile! Try adding some grilled chicken and roasted chickpeas for protein, or some sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a crunch. You can also swap the feta for goat cheese and some fresh avocado slices. If you have a sweet tooth, you can add apple slices or mandarin orange slices.
Recipe Tip! Make sure you massage the kale for a full minute or two. We’re breaking down the kale leaves and making them more tender and less bitter.
More Salad Recipes
Storage
Refrigerate this quinoa kale salad in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
This recipe will not freeze well.
Cooking Tips
- If you make this a day in advance, mix everything together except for the dressing. Add the dressing right before serving.
- You can whisk the dressing together, or add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, close the lid, and shake until combined.
- When you cut up the kale, make sure to cut out and discard the stems. They are very fibrous and not as tasty.
- I like to rinse the chopped kale in cold water, then use a salad spinner to get any excess water off. This helps the dressing evenly coat the kale instead of falling to the bottom of the salad bowl.
- A pinch of salt can help bring some water out of the kale while you’re massaging it. Just don’t add too much or the salad will turn out salty.
If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!
Kale Quinoa Salad
Ingredients Â
- 1 large bunch of kale, (about 7-8 cups chopped) stems removed, cut into bite-sized pieces.
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed, certified gluten free
- 2 cups vegetable broth, gluten free
- 1 small red onion, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Equipment
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 salad bowl
InstructionsÂ
- Add the broth and quinoa to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Once the quinoa has fully absorbed the broth (about 10-15 minutes), remove it from the heat entirely, fluff with a fork, and set aside. Allow to cool completely before adding to the salad.
- In a mixing bowl, drizzle the kale with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use your hands to massage kale for 1-2 minutes, until it's tender and a deeper green color.
- In a measuring cup, add all of the dressing ingredients and whisk together until combined. It may separate, just whisk it again quickly before pouring it over the salad.
- Once the quinoa has cooled, mix it together with the kale, dried cranberries, red onion, pecans, and feta. Drizzle the dressing over everything and lightly toss together, season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve.
Notes
- If you’re gluten free, quinoa is similar to oats because it can be cross-contaminated with other grains at the farm level. Make sure you choose a package that is certified gluten free.
- Make sure the quinoa is cool before adding it to the salad. You can spread it out on a baking sheet with parchment paper to help it cool faster.
- If you make this a day in advance, mix everything together except for the dressing. Add the dressing right before serving.
- You can whisk the dressing together, or add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, close the lid, and shake until combined.
- When you cut up the kale, make sure to cut out and discard the stems. They are very fibrous and not as tasty.
- I like to rinse the chopped kale in cold water, then use a salad spinner to get any excess water off. This helps the dressing evenly coat the kale instead of falling to the bottom of the salad bowl.
Nutrition
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