Quinoa Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Feta

A quinoa salad bursting at the seams with fresh apples, chewy cranberries, toasted walnuts and the sharp bite of feta cheese. All that is good in this world.

A creamy, toasted walnut dressing made with lemon and olive oil ties these everyday ingredients together to make something extraordinary.

The salad is a cinch to throw together for a tasty and healthy lunch that travels well and makes a great side dish that will steal the show.

So immensely satisfying and delicious with its mix of sweet, tart, salty and savory flavors combined with a multitude of textures to keep your taste buds happy. I could eat it everyday and never tire of it.

Quinoa (KEEN-wah) is considered a grain even though it’s the seeds we eat. High in protein and fiber, it’s a little pricey but worth every cent. I compare it’s texture and taste to couscous and use the two interchangeably, although quinoa is the nutritional powerhouse of the two. Quinoa has a bitter outer coating that must be rinsed well before cooking, unless it says pre-washed on the package.

Quinoa Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Feta

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Quinoa Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Feta

A quinoa salad bursting at the seams with fresh apples, chewy cranberries, toasted walnuts and the sharp bite of feta cheese with a toasted walnut dressing.

Ingredients

1 cup chopped walnuts, divided
3 cups quinoa, cooked (about 1 cup uncooked)
2 apples, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
6 green onions, diced or snipped, bulbs discarded
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, a fruity one
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
sea salt and fresh black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a small skillet over medium heat toast walnuts about 5 minutes stirring often. Remove and allow to cool. Add olive oil, 1/3 cup of the toasted walnuts and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. In a large bowl combine quinoa, apples, cranberries, feta cheese, green onions and the remaining walnuts. Pour dressing over top and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Best eaten at room temperature.

Notes

-This is lightly dressed, if you like a lot of dressing double the recipe.

-Substitute a different cooked grain or couscous for the quinoa.

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Comments

  1. Deb says:

    Love this recipe. Have made it several times and it’s been delicious each time. A big hit. Thank you!

  2. Mary says:

    Made it tonight for dinner. Only change I made was using pecans instead of walnuts since I am allergic to walnuts. Also didn’t have any green onions on hand so I left that out. Great dish. Love Quinoa and trying to go wheat free in the house so this was perfect.

  3. Platanosmangoes says:

    Great salad anytime, but imagine it in the summer….

  4. Suzanne says:

    great idea for a salad love the flavors here :)

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