Quinoa Apple Salad for Supper

Quinoa Apple Salad brings together crisp fruit, nutty quinoa, and a tangy vinaigrette for the ultimate fall-inspired bite.

author’s note

An Apple Salad You’ll Crave Year-Round!

I threw this Quinoa Apple Salad together after realizing I had a bunch of apples and pears sitting on the counter. I wanted something fresh and flavorful, and this one totally delivered.

It’s packed with spinach, quinoa, crisp apples, juicy pears, salty pistachios, and sweet dried cranberries. The textures all work so well together.

I usually go for a creamy poppy seed (like in my Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad), but It is satisfying to how light and flavorful this lemon poppy seed vinaigrette is. It’s made with vinegar, oil, and lemon juice, and it brings everything together without overpowering the salad.

Quinoa Apple Salad Tips

• Chop the spinach coarsely. This gives the spinach more surface area for the quinoa to cling to.
• Use dry-roasted and lightly salted pistachios. This ingredient adds a ton of flavor without adding any work (like toasting the pistachios) on your part.
• A ripe, juicy pear makes all the difference (as opposed to an unripe, crunchy one!).
  • Speaking of ripe pears, you can test a pear for ripeness by applying gentle pressure near the stem end. If there is a slight give, it is most likely ready to be sliced and added to this Quinoa Apple Salad. And if you can’t smell any sweet pear-ness, it probably isn’t ready to use.

Quick Tip

If you have a fresh lemon on hand, squeeze a bit of lemon juice on the sliced pears and apples to keep them from browning too quickly.

How To Make Quinoa More Flavorful

It is satisfying to adding quinoa to this salad for its texture, flavor, and protein. It’s mild on its own but absorbs the flavor of the dressing and other ingredients.

• Rinse it first: Quinoa has a bitter coating (saponin). Rinse uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold water for 30 to 60 seconds.
• Season after cooking: Salt and pepper go a long way. I also like stirring in a few tablespoons of the dressing while it’s still warm.
• Cook in broth: For this salad, use vegetable stock instead of water to add even more flavor.

Quinoa Apple Salad Variations

• Make this salad vegetarian or vegan: Use water or vegetable broth to cook the quinoa in. That will make this salad naturally vegan and vegetarian!
• Make this salad gluten free: Quinoa Apple Salad is naturally gluten free, but make sure all the packaged products are processed in a gluten-free facility. Quinoa is gluten free, but it is still considered a high-risk ingredient because of the cross-contact possibility with other grains.
• Add a creamy element such as avocado or some cheese (like goat, feta, or bleu cheese). For maximum creaminess, pick out a ripe avocado.
  • How to test if an avocado is ripe: If an avocado yields to firm gentle pressure (shouldn’t give in too easily) you know it’s ripe and ready to eat.
• Add more protein: Using this chicken marinade recipe, grill some chicken and serve on top of this salad. Alternatively, some roasted chickpeas would be a satisfying salad addition.

Storage

Leftovers And Make Ahead Tips

• Quinoa Apple Salad doesn’t store well once dressed. Keep salad and dressing separate and cut fruit just before serving.
• Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to a week ahead and stored in a jar in the fridge. If it separates or solidifies, let it sit at room temp for 20 minutes.

More satisfying Salad Recipes:

Salads

Quinoa and Almond Salad

Healthy

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

Salads

Asian Cucumber Salad

Salads

Greek Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa (tri-colored or plain)
• 1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth or water)
• 6 cups baby spinach (5 ounces)
• 1 large apple (Pink Lady or Honeycrisp)
• 1 large pear (Anjou)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup roasted and salted shelled pistachios
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 2 lemons
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (not regular mustard)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (see note 1)
• 1/3 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds

Method

1. Prepare quinoa by rinsing it under cold water in a fine-mesh sieve. This removes the bitter saponin coating. Combine quinoa and water (or broth) in a small pot over a hot burner. Bring to a boil, add in a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt, reduce heat to low, and cover the pot. Simmer 10–15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, keep covered, and let stand 10–15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then add 2–3 tablespoons of the prepared dressing (see next step). Toss and refrigerate to chill until at room temperature.
2. While quinoa is cooking, prepare the dressing. Combine 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, onion powder, mustard, salt, and sugar in a small blender or food processor. Blend or pulse until completely smooth. Slowly pour in the oil and blend just until emulsified. Do not over-blend. mix in poppy seeds, move to a jar with a lid, and chill in the fridge while preparing the other parts of the salad. Re-shake to combine before dressing the salad.
3. Remove large stems and coarsely chop the spinach (just a few coarse cuts through all the spinach). Add to a large bowl and toss with room-temperature quinoa.
4. Chop or thinly slice the apple and pear. Toss both fruits with lemon juice to keep from browning too quickly. Add to the spinach and quinoa.
5. Sprinkle pistachios and dried cranberries into the salad. This salad doesn’t sit well with the dressing, so only dress what will be enjoyed the same day. Drizzle with dressing (add to preference; store any leftover dressing in the fridge for up to 1 week). Gently toss to combine and enjoy.