Kale Quinoa Salad – Spend With Pennies

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Kale quinoa salad is crammed with goodness and is straightforward to make.

Hail to the kale – and quinoa! These two superfoods style nice blended with different greens, nuts, and cheese after which tossed in a easy dressing.

This can convert anybody right into a kale lover!

This salad has the right mixture of candy, tangy, nutty, and savory.
It may be ready forward of time and saved within the fridge for days.
Surprisingly sufficient, this salad may be FROZEN for future lunches.
It’s nice as a hearty lunch salad or a facet salad subsequent to baked chicken thighs.
It’s chock stuffed with goodness and taste.

kale , quinoa , carrots , broth , oil , feta , dressing , pecans , cranberries and onions in bowls to make Kale Quinoa Salad with labels

Kale Quinoa Salad Necessities

Kale: Select bunches of kale which can be deep inexperienced and take away any torn or wilted leaves, in addition to the stalks. Whereas I most frequently use curly kale, you should utilize different varieties like lacinato kale, child kale, or Tuscan kale.

Quinoa: Cooking quinoa in broth (as an alternative of water) provides further taste. Quinoa may be changed with different grains like brown rice, farro, or barley.

Greens: Shredded carrots and sliced purple onions provide coloration and crunch and can be found year-round. Seasonal veggies like chunks of roasted squash, corn, or beets may be added as properly!

Different Flavorful Additions: Dried cranberries add sweetness and so will contemporary apples or grapes. Feta is a dry cheese that provides a salty taste whereas pecans add a nutty crunch.

A Fast Do-it-yourself Dressing

This French dressing is really easy to make; simply put the whole lot right into a jar and shake! You’ll be able to double up as a result of it’s good on salads of every kind.

Lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and garlic add taste, whereas vinegar provides slightly further tang. Honey balances the dressing for the right chunk.

Variations

Bulk up the salad by including chopped broccoli slaw, shredded Brussels sprouts, or spinach.
Add different veggies; nearly something goes. If you happen to’re not freezing this salad, strive cherry tomatoes, purple pepper, or chopped cucumber.
Swap out pecans for pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds, or sliced almonds.
Cooked hen, tofu, and even chickpeas are nice additions for further protein.
Substitute the honey with sugar or maple syrup.

kale in a bowl to make Kale Quinoa Salad

Tips on how to Make Kale Quinoa Salad

Mix dressing elements in a mason jar and shake (recipe under).
Cook dinner quinoa and fluff with a fork, and funky.
Therapeutic massage chopped kale in oil and salt. Add the remaining elements and drizzle the dressing overtop.
Toss to mix and refrigerate earlier than serving.

When making a kale salad of any type, massaging the leaves could appear odd, however it makes an enormous distinction! This step makes the leaves extra tender and removes bitterness.

Merely add a drop or two of oil and rub the kale along with your fingers. It’s going to flip a darker inexperienced and the leaves will soften.

serving Kale Quinoa Salad in a bowl with spoons

Storing Kale Quinoa Salad

Preserve kale quinoa salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Stir in contemporary nuts, cheese, or dressing, if desired.
Imagine it or not, you CAN freeze this kale quinoa salad recipe whether it is made with the elements listed under. As soon as thawed, it tastes simply nearly as good because the day it was made.

Extra Hearty Grain Salads

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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

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Kale Quinoa Salad

This kale quinoa salad provides an ideal mix of contemporary flavors, making it a scrumptious alternative for a facet dish or lunch.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook dinner Time 20 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour

Complete Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Cook dinner ModeForestall your display from going darkish

Rinse the quinoa in a wonderful mesh strainer and drain properly.
Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan with vegetable broth or water.
Carry to a boil, cut back warmth to medium-low, and simmer for quarter-hour or till the liquid has been absorbed. Cowl and let relaxation for five minutes. Cool fully.
As soon as the quinoa has cooled fully, place it in a big bowl.
In a jar, mix all dressing elements and shake properly.
Place the kale within the backside of a medium bowl. Add olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt to the kale. Therapeutic massage the chopped kale along with your fingers till the leaves turn into tender and darkish inexperienced.
Add the cooled quinoa, pecans, carrots, feta cheese, purple onion, and dried cranberries to the bowl.
Pour the dressing over the elements and toss properly to mix.
Refrigerate the salad for at the least 1 hour earlier than serving.

This recipe will hold within the fridge for 4 days and it may be frozen.
To substitute retailer purchased dressing, I’d counsel a light-weight citrusy French dressing.

Diet data offered is an estimate and can differ primarily based on cooking strategies and types of elements used.

Course Lunch, Salad, Facet Dish

Delicacies American

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