Quinoa Salad Recipe

Published: Mar 28, 2016 · Modified: Dec 27, 2017 by Allison · 15 Comments

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Quinoa Salad Recipe – A green salad filled with apples, dried apricots, pistachios, quinoa, and goat cheese dressed in a honey mustard vinaigrette.

I’m slowly making my way out of a sugar coma. Between my mom’s birthday cake (happy belated b-day, mama!), Easter candy (I’m looking at you Reese’s eggs), and a few too many glasses of strawberry sangria (recipe coming soon!), I’m recovering from adeliciously sweet weekend.I’m hitting the reset button with this light and flavorful Apple, Apricot and Quinoa Salad.

I had a salad similar to this at alocal wine bar, and I’ve been recreating it at home ever since.

Apples
Dried apricots
Quinoa
Pistachios
Goat cheese.

I LOVE the combination of flavors and textures going on here – creamy goat cheese, chewy dried apricots, crunchy pistachios, fluffy quinoa, and crispapple. I dress the salad with a sweet and tangy honey mustard vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is made from a handful of ingredients that you probably have sitting in your kitchen right now.

Let’s put down the Cadbury eggs and make ourselves something with nutritional value. Grab a fork, friends. This salad is calling your name.

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Recipe

Apple, Apricot and Quinoa Salad

A green salad filled with apples, dried apricots, pistachios, quinoa, and goat cheese dressed in a honey mustard vinaigrette.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: main, Main dish, side

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 - 4

Calories: 406kcal

Author: Allison - Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Salad:

▢ 5 ounces spring greens, baby kale or spinach
▢ 1 apple, chopped or sliced
▢ 8 dried apricots, chopped or sliced
▢ 3-4 tablespoons pistachios, chopped or left whole
▢ ⅓ cup cooked quinoa
▢ 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Honey mustard vinaigrette:

▢ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
▢ 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
▢ 1 tablespoon heaping dijon mustard
▢ 1 tablespoon honey
▢ salt/pepper to taste

Instructions

Place all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small jar. Tightly seal and shake until combined.
Place the greens in a serving bowl. Toss the greens with your desired amount of dressing (you will not use all the dressing). Leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for a few days. Add the apple, dried apricots, pistachios, quinoa, and goat cheese. Toss if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

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Comments

Vivian | stayaliveandcooking
March 29, 2016 at 1:30 am
Your weekend sounds pretty great… I know exactly how you feel though! All those Easter eggs and Easter cakes and you name it.
I love salads like this, the apple adds such a nice freshness don’t you think? And what a nice idea to use the pistachios, I would have never thought of that.
(Oh, and please share your strawberry sangria recipe ASAP! That sounds amazing!)
Reply
- Celebrating Sweets
  March 29, 2016 at 10:30 am
  The pistachios add a great twist. Thanks for stopping by!
  Reply
David @ Cooking Chat
March 29, 2016 at 3:40 am
what a healthy and hearty salad idea!
Reply
- Celebrating Sweets
  March 29, 2016 at 10:29 am
  Thanks, David!
  Reply
Maria
March 29, 2016 at 4:29 am
This salad looks awesome and so refreshing! I can’t wait to try it!
See Also
Lamb Stew with Butternut Squash Recipe on Food52
Reply
- Celebrating Sweets
  March 29, 2016 at 10:29 am
  You’ll love it!
  Reply
Marye
March 29, 2016 at 4:42 am
I am loving everything about this salad! It looks absolutely delicious!
Reply
- Celebrating Sweets
  March 29, 2016 at 10:28 am
  Thanks, Marye! It is!
  Reply
Melissa Falk
March 29, 2016 at 7:11 am
It’s nice to see someone else who enjoys a hearty salad. Kudos, too, for making your own vinaigrette. I do that as well. So simple and much healthier than buying prepared dressing. This is a wonderfully healthy meal.
Reply
- Celebrating Sweets
  March 29, 2016 at 10:28 am
  Thanks, Melissa!
  Reply
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
March 29, 2016 at 4:09 pm
This looks like a gorgeous & filling salad! Love adding pistachios to salads (or anything!), and love the vinaigrette!
Reply
Teri
March 29, 2016 at 4:56 pm
This salad is delicious and a combination of flavors. This makes a terrific week night meal! Thanks for sharing!
Reply
Julie Evink
April 03, 2016 at 4:51 pm
I need a reset after each weekend I think! Love this filling salad with so much flavor!
Reply
- Celebrating Sweets
  April 03, 2016 at 8:44 pm
  Thanks, Julie!
  Reply
Kristine
April 24, 2018 at 12:06 pm

Great flavors!
Reply

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Hi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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