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 I love 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
I love 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 delicious 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 Delicious Salad Recipes:
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Greek Quinoa Salad
Apple Quinoa Salad
This Quinoa Apple Salad is loaded with spinach, quinoa, crisp apples, pears, pistachios, and cranberries, all tossed in a fresh lemon-poppy seed vinaigrette. Healthy and delicious!
Equipment
- Small blender or food processor
Ingredients
Salad
- 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
Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
- 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
Instructions
- 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 high heat. 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.
- 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. Stir in poppy seeds, transfer 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Add sugar gradually and to taste preference. I prefer the dressing on the sweeter side to complement the savory taste of the quinoa and spinach.
Storage: This salad doesn’t sit well once dressed, so only dress what will be enjoyed the same day. Store leftover salad and dressing separately. Apples and pears will brown if cut in advance. Leftover dressing keeps up to 1 week in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 6servings | Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 38.3g | Protein: 7.4g | Fat: 23.2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Fiber: 5.7g | Sugar: 20.6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is one gorgeous salad!
This salad is GORGEOUS! You just reminded me that I should really use apples more in salads…they ARE delicious!
Looks absolutely delicious! So many amazing flavours! Cranberries and pistachio go so well together 🙂
This is one totally stunning fall salad! Apples and pistachios go hand in hand this time of year, and I love that this is a whole-meal-in-one with all that gorgeous quinoa! Such stunning photos too, Chelsea! 🙂
Such a beautiful salad. I love every component of this dish and am happy for your reminder to integrate quinoa in my salad! Thanks for the share!
This looks delish! Love the quinoa pistachio combo!
Apples and spinach are one of my favorite combos! I love that you used quinoa in here, Chelsea! What a perfect meal for the fall!
Mmmm I love poppyseed dressing and apples in salads…this is right up my alley!
Chelsea, this looks so fresh and delicious! I haven’t eaten dinner yet, and looking at these pics has me wanting to gnaw my arm off! I love the color in this dish, and I do need more meatless recipes. Thanks for sharing!
This looks delicious! So many awesome flavors 🙂