Quinoa and Almond Salad

5 from 4 votes

This Quinoa Almond Salad brings together spinach, quinoa, toasted almonds, sunflower seeds, tart apple slices, creamy avocado, and dried cranberries, all drizzled with a fresh raspberry vinaigrette. Nutritious and bursting with flavor!

Prep Time25

Total Time25

Course: Salad, Vegetarian

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Quinoa and Almond Salad

Servings: as a side dish

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $12.76

Equipment

Small blender or food processor
Medium pan

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa tri-colored or plain
1 cup chicken broth vegetable broth or water also work
1/3 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons shelled sunflower seeds
4 cups fresh baby spinach coarsely chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 Granny Smith apple or Fuji
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 ripe avocado optional
Feta cheese optional, add to personal preference

Dressing

Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette store-bought or recipe below
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

US - Metric

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 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: In a small blender or food processor, combine red wine vinegar, sugar (see note 1), raspberries, mustard, and salt. Blend or pulse until completely smooth. Slowly pour in the oil and blend just until emulsified. Do not over-blend. Transfer mixture to a mason jar and stir in poppy seeds. Place the lid on the jar and allow dressing to chill in the fridge while preparing the other parts of the salad. Re-shake to combine before dressing the salad.
Meanwhile, add sliced almonds and sunflower seeds in a single layer to a completely dry pan (don’t add oil) and place on medium-high heat. Stir the nuts and seeds every 15 seconds for about 1–3 minutes or until the color slightly darkens and they start to smell good. Watch carefully as they can go from perfectly toasted to burned quickly!
If desired, peel the apple (I leave the peel on). Chop or thinly slice the apple. If using avocado, remove the skin and thinly slice or chop. Toss both with the lemon juice.
Mix coarsely chopped spinach with cooled quinoa in a large bowl. Add chopped apple, avocado if using, and dried cranberries. Add cooled almonds and sunflower seeds.
This salad doesn’t sit well with the dressing, so only dress what will be enjoyed the same day. Toss salad with the dressing (use as much or as little as desired; you’ll likely have a bit extra to use on another salad). If desired, add some feta and enjoy immediately.

Video

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 avocado will brown if cut in advance.

Nutrition