This salad has it all: it’s tasty, nutritious and satisfying. It even tastes better after a night in the fridge! Quinoa, the base of this salad, is a superfood that is naturally gluten free and contains all of the essential amino acids. This recipe dresses quinoa up with dried cranberries, almonds and refreshing mint. For a twist, try subbing in cooked couscous, bulgur, millet or farro.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 25 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Cook: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup scallions, sliced into 1/4-inch rings
- 3/4 cup sliced, blanched almonds
- 3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, cut into chiffonade
Instructions
- For the dressing: Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
- For the salad: Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Place the cranberries in a small bowl. Ladle out 1/2 cup of the boiling water over the cranberries to rehydrate. Pour the quinoa into the pot with the remaining boiling water, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the quinoa absorbs the water, 12 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and transfer to a large bowl.
- Drain the cranberries and scatter them over the quinoa. Add the scallions, almonds and vinaigrette, and fold into the salad until evenly distributed. Add the mint and serve, or chill overnight if desired.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 389 calorie |
| Total Fat | 25.4 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 3 grams |
| Cholesterol | 0 milligrams |
| Sodium | 299 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 34 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.5 grams |
| Protein | 10.1 grams |
| Sugar | 2.6 grams |
Reviews
I never knew quinoa could be so addictive! I don’t eat nuts so I left them out and didn’t have mint. Also refrigerated and let it absorb the dressing overnight. Don’t skip rehydrating the cranberries. They’re so good! I’ll definitely make again.
Delish! Followed the recipe as written with two minor exceptions: instead of blanching the almonds, I toasted them (LOVE toasted almonds!), and I’m not a fan of fresh mint so I left it out, but basil could have been substituted. Easy and flavorful. I used a red quinoa because it’s what I had on hand. Next time I’ll use a lighter colored quinoa so the colorful ingredients show. Served cold a few hours later to rave reviews, but it’s true that it was even better the next day. Enjoy!