With a rainbow of veggies topped off with festive cranberries and a bright, oil-free apple cider vinaigrette, this healthy, fuss-free autumn quinoa salad is a perfect dish for all your holiday gatherings!
When the end-of-the-year busy-ness sets in, easy recipes you can prep in advance are a real lifesaver! Enter this delicious autumn quinoa salad. When I’m hosting a holiday gathering, I like to prepare this easy dish first and put it in the fridge to chill while I turn my attention to preparing the more time-consuming main course and sides.
Even if you don’t plan to serve this at a potluck or other get-together, this is a great salad to have on hand to help you stay nourished when your to-do list is a mile long. This combination of veggies and quinoa holds up exceptionally well in the fridge, making it an excellent choice for plan-ahead meals. Simply block out 30 minutes to prep and you’ll be rewarded with healthy grab-and-go meals for the whole week.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Prep ahead of time: This is the ideal dish to prep in advance. Unlike some salads that wilt very quickly, this salad remains crunchy and fresh-tasting even after several days in the fridge. And because it’s best served chilled, if you’re preparing multiple dishes for a holiday meal or get-together, you can check this one of your list first so you can focus on other more-involved hot dishes.
- Meets a variety of dietary needs: Not only is this dish vegan, it is gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and refined-sugar-free, making it an ideal choice to accommodate a variety of dietary needs.
- It’s super easy: Autumn quinoa salad takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish and requires minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Not pictured: Water, salt (optional), and freshly cracked black pepper (optional).
To make the salad, you’ll need:
- Water: For cooking the quinoa.
- Quinoa: I used white quinoa in this recipe. A gluten-free superfood, quinoa is high in protein and fiber, giving you steady energy for hours.
- Lacinato kale: The darker, almost bluish-green or black variety of kale that looks like large, flat leaves (not to be confused with the frilly, lighter green kale commonly known as “curly kale”). Lacinato kale holds up ridiculously well in the fridge, making it a great choice for prep-ahead salads. It’s also so good for you and is high in vitamins A, C, K, and B6.
- Canned chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans. Be sure to rinse and drain them before adding them to the salad. I like to pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel after draining them to avoid watering down the salad.
- Carrots: I use shredded carrots from the grocery store to save time, but feel free to peel and grate whole carrots if you have the time or if your store doesn’t carry the shredded kind.
- Red cabbage: Pre-shredded red cabbage helps cut down on prep, but may not always be readily available (and it may cost a little more). If you can’t find it in the store or want to prepare it yourself, simply use a chef’s knife to thinly slice part of a head of red cabbage.
- Dried cranberries: These add a lovely burst of color and sweetness. Sometimes, store-bought dried cranberries contain added sugar and/or oil, so be sure to check the ingredient label if you are trying to cut down on or avoid these additives.
- Sliced almonds: These add a pleasant crunch. Almonds have also been associated with supporting heart health and lowering blood pressure.
- Freshly cracked black pepper (optional): For a touch more flavor.
- Fine sea salt (optional): For added flavor, if desired. Omit if you want to minimize your sodium intake.
For the oil-free apple cider vinaigrette, you’ll need:
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds a tart, acidic taste with a subtle taste of apple. Apple cider vinegar may be associated with helping manage blood sugar levels.
- Apple cider: Adds a mellow apple flavor that balances out the strong taste of the apple cider vinegar. Apple cider contains polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties.
- Fresh lemon juice: Adds a brightness to the dressing and helps mute the apple cider vinegar’s tartness.
- Dijon mustard: For tang and flavor.
- Maple syrup: Adds sweetness and balance to the oil-free dressing.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a small pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover with the lid. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed the water. Remove the pot from the heat and keep it covered for at least 5 minutes. Then, lift the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Leave uncovered to allow the quinoa to cool a bit.
- Step 2: While the quinoa is cooking, slice the kale into thin strips. Also grate the carrots and/or thinly slice the red cabbage, if needed.
- Step 3: Add the apple cider vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl. Using a fork, whisk to combine. The dressing will have a very sharp, acidic taste if you try it now, but the flavor mellows out when mixed with the salad ingredients.
- Step 4: Add the kale, chickpeas, carrots, red cabbage, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds to a large bowl.
- Step 5: Add about ¾ of the apple cider vinaigrette to the bowl and toss to combine.
- Step 6: Add the quinoa and stir well. Taste and gradually add additional dressing, along with an optional pinch of salt and/or pepper, as desired. Serve the autumn quinoa salad at room temperature or chilled.
Equipment
- Small pot with lid
- Can opener
- Colander
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Small bowl
- Fork
- Large bowl
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Storage
Autumn quinoa salad keeps well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Related
Looking for other salad recipes? Try these:
Autumn Quinoa Salad
With a rainbow of veggies topped off with festive cranberries and a bright, oil-free apple cider vinaigrette, this healthy, fuss-free autumn quinoa salad is a perfect dish for all your holiday gatherings!
Equipment
- small pot with lid
- can opener
- colander
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- small bowl
- fork
- large bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
Salad ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- ½ bunch lacinato kale (see Note)
- 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup carrots shredded
- ¾ cup red cabbage shredded
- ½ cup dried cranberries (see Note)
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- freshly cracked black pepper (optional; to taste)
- fine sea salt (optional; to taste)
Apple cider vinaigrette ingredients
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of approximately 1 small lemon)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: In a small pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover with the lid. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed the water. Then, remove the pot from the heat and keep it covered for at least 5 minutes. At the end of 5 minutes, lift the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Leave the pot uncovered to allow the quinoa to cool a bit.
- Slice the kale: While the quinoa is cooking, slice the kale into thin strips. Also grate the carrots and/or thinly slice the red cabbage if needed.
- Make the dressing: Add the apple cider vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl. Using a fork, whisk to combine.
- Prepare the salad: Add the kale, chickpeas, carrots, red cabbage, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds to a large bowl. Add about ¾ of the apple cider vinaigrette and toss to combine. Add the quinoa and stir well. Taste and gradually add additional dressing, along with salt and/or pepper, as desired to suit your preferences. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
- For many people, kale is an acquired taste. You either love it or you hate it. If you’ll be serving this dish at a potluck or other get-together that includes guests who aren’t accustomed to eating kale, consider reducing the amount of kale or eliminating it altogether to make it more universally appealing.
- Dried cranberries may contain added sugar and/or oil, so be sure to check the label if you are trying to cut back on either of these additives. Feel free to reduce the amount or eliminate the cranberries if these additives are a concern.
- This autumn quinoa salad keeps well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
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