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    Home » Recipes

    Kale and Quinoa Salad

    Published: Jan 13, 2023 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    This kale and quinoa salad is a tasty, nutritious, and colorful recipe excellent as a healthy make-ahead lunch or dinner and for meal prepping as it keeps well for several days.

    Take ours as a guideline and customize it to your liking. Here we provide you with plenty of ideas and substitutions to make your best kale and quinoa salad recipe.

    kale quinoa salad in a serving bowl
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Make Ahead & Storage
    • More Kale Recipes
    • More Salad Ideas
    • Recipe

    Check out our Best Salad Recipes

    Kale and quinoa salad is an excellent meal-prep recipe that you can make in advance and keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

    It'll feed your family for days as you can eat it as a healthy lunch and quick dinner throughout the week.

    The salad is colorful and has different textures, meaning it's a super healthy meal packed with polyphenols and plenty of vitamins.

    It's also rich in high-quality plant protein, thanks to the quinoa and the many veggies.

    Take our recipe as a guideline, and feel free to swap veggies around based on seasonality and on what you have available where you live.

    To make the salad healthy and nutritious, try to go for seasonal and ideally local vegetables, mixing in as many colors as possible.

    For the dressing, we use our loved and tested honey mustard dressing (you can sub maple syrup for honey if vegan), which makes this kale and quinoa salad irresistible.

    Kale quinoa salad with feta

    Ingredients

    Kale quinoa salad ingredients

    Kale, Lemon, and Salt

    We use dinosaur or Tuscan kale, but you can use any kale type, including red kale, cavolo nero, and curly kale.

    Since we eat the kale raw in this salad, we recommend discarding the woodier stems, chopping the leaves into small pieces, and massaging them for one minute in freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt.

    Massaging kale makes a massive difference in texture and flavor, making the kale softer, more pleasant to eat, and tastier, so don't skimp on this step; it only takes a minute or two.

    Quinoa

    Feel free to use whatever quinoa you have at hand. We use white quinoa, but red, black, or tri-color quinoa also works.

    Substitute whole grain rice, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, barley, farro, or any other whole grain for the quinoa.

    Red bell pepper

    Diced red bell pepper adds sweetness and crunch.

    Substitute halved cherry tomatoes, radishes, or red cabbage for red pepper.

    Corn

    Canned corn kernels are a favorite ingredient in our kale and quinoa salad as they add a pleasant sweet flavor.

    Substitute diced yellow bell peppers or small apple pieces for corn.

    Scallion

    Scallions or green/spring onions add a mild tangy flavor.

    Substitute shallots or red onion for scallions

    Almonds

    Chopped-up toasted almonds taste incredible with kale, and we think they are delicious in this salad. Also, almonds and nuts are incredibly healthy, which is good news since they taste fantastic too.

    Substitute mixed seeds, chopped walnuts, or pecans for almonds.

    Feta or Vegan Feta

    Feta cheese is optional. It adds a nice salty, tangy flavor to the salad and makes it pop. You don't need much, just a little helps to make kids and picky husbands love this recipe.

    Our goal here is to make you eat more veggies through delicious recipes. If this takes a bit of cheese, that's great for us.

    For vegans, you can easily keep the feta out, or replace it with vegan feta cheese, although these are often ultra-processed foods that might not be as healthy as you think.

    Honey Mustard Dressing

    honey mustard dressing

    This is a simple yet beautifully flavorful dressing you can make in 1 minute by mixing honey (use maple syrup for vegan), mustard, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.

    It's the perfect balance of sweet, sour, tangy, salty, and creamy, and it'll take your kale quinoa salad to the next level.

    You can substitute tahini sauce, Italian dressing, or carrot ginger dressing for honey mustard dressing.

    Optional add-ins

    SOMETHING ROASTED: for instance, try roasted pumpkin, roasted butternut squash, roasted cauliflower florets, roasted sweet potatoes, or roasted kabocha squash. In general, orange-colored vegetables are delicious with kale.

    TOFU: to make this an even more fulfilling and nutritious meal, you can add tofu in several ways. We adore pan-fried tofu coated with tasty and crisp seasoning. Alternatively, you can add chewy air-fried tofu or marinated tofu.

    LEGUMES: lentils, white beans, and chickpeas are an excellent addition to this kale quinoa salad.

    Instructions

    Step 1: Massage the kale

    Simmer 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of boiling water on medium heat until the water is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

    In the meantime, separate the kale leaves from the stems by holding the stem firmly with one hand and pulling the leave away with the other.

    Discard the stems, or use them for stocks and soups.

    hands and kale leaves

    Rinse the leaves, shake the water away, then chop them into small pieces.

    chopping kale with a knife

    Add the chopped kale to a large mixing bowl, add the juice of half a lemon and ½ teaspoon of salt, then pinch (massage) the kale with your fingertips to soften its texture. Do so for about 1 minute, then set aside and make the dressing.

    Note: the salt and the lemon will soften the kale fiber and make it more palatable.

    hands massage kale in a bowl

    Step 2: Make the dressing

    Add extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey or maple syrup, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to a small jar.

    Close the jar and shake it well until combined. Alternatively, you can make the dressing by whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl.

    honey mustard dressing in a jar

    Step 3: Mix the salad

    Add diced red pepper, corn, finely chopped scallions, and chopped almonds to the bowl with the kale.

    At this stage; you can also add your favorite add-ins. See the ingredients chapter and variation chapter for inspiration.

    kale and veggies in a bowl

    Add the quinoa, pour in the dressing, and mix well before serving.

    kale and quinoa salad in a bowl

    Variations

    Kale and quinoa salad with crumbled feta

    Crumbled feta cheese adds a creamy, tangy, and salty flavor to this dish, making it irresistible.

    You can substitute vegan feta cheese for regular feta.

    Kale quinoa salad with feta

    Kale and quinoa salad with winter squash

    Kale is delicious with roasted orange-colored vegetables such as pumpkin, butternut squash, kabocha squash, and sweet potatoes.

    Chop your favorite winter squash into bite-size dice, toss it in olive oil and salt, and roast it in a preheated oven at 400°F or 200°C for 20 minutes or until fork tender.

    Toss it in the salad with the other ingredients, and you are in for a treat!

    kale and quinoa salad with roasted pumpkin

    Kale and quinoa salad with fried tofu

    Pan-fried tofu is an excellent way to add tasty and high-quality plant-based protein to your salads.

    You can make it in just about 15 minutes with simple ingredients. Check out our fried tofu recipe if you are interested.

    Kale quinoa salad with tofu

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve this quinoa salad as a healthy lunch or dinner with focaccia bread, bruschetta, or toasted crostini bread.

    We like to serve it with one of our easy homemade vegetable soups, such as:

    • Potato leek soup: creamy, bright, and light with a perfect balance of potato and leek.
    • Cauliflower soup: velvety smooth, and wholesome, with fresh Italian herbs and a subtle cauliflower flavor.
    • Carrot soup: with slightly caramelized roasted carrots and grated ginger.
    • Butternut squash soup: a healthy soup for autumn and winter and a great appetizer idea!
    • Potato leek soup with silver spoon
      Potato Leek Soup
    • Carrot soup with croutons
      Carrot Soup
    • roasted cauliflower soup
      Cauliflower Soup
    • roasted butternut squash soup
      Butternut Squash Soup

    Make Ahead & Storage

    Make ahead: kale and quinoa salad is the perfect recipe to prepare ahead of time; it is excellent for meal prep as it keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I'd argue that the salad gets better on the second day as the kale softens up in the refrigerator and the quinoa absorbs the flavor from the dressing and the veggies.

    Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If the salad gets a little dry on the third day, that's normal. You can make another half batch of dressing to drizzle in with.

    Freezer: this is not a freezer-friendly recipe.

    Reheat: there's no need to reheat this salad. However, we recommend taking it out of the refrigerator half an hour before eating it (if you have the time), as it will taste better at room temperature.

    More Kale Recipes

    If you like cooking with kale, get fresh inspiration from these easy and wholesome kale recipes:

    • Kale pesto pasta with 5-minute kale pesto and bowtie pasta.
    • Easy kale salad with vibrant fresh greens, roasted pumpkin, and a creamy lemon dressing.
    • Creamy kale pasta with a ricotta lemon blend, an easy weeknight pasta ready in 20 minutes.
    • Sauteed kale: a great way to use up leftover kale, ready in just 10 minutes!
    • Savory pancakes with kale mushroom filling: a protein-rich and whole dinner idea.
    • Sauteed kale with garlic
      Sautéed Kale
    • Kale salad with crumbled feta
      Kale Salad
    • Creamy Kale Pasta with fork
      Creamy Kale Pasta
    • Kale pasta in a bowl
      Kale Pesto Pasta

    More Salad Ideas

    If you like eating salad as a meal, get easy and tasty salad ideas here:

    • Italian rice salad with roasted and fresh veggies and a creamy lemon dressing.
    • Chickpea salad: a reader favorite with fresh greens and a velvety smooth mustard dressing.
    • Quinoa chickpea salad: easy lunch in 20 minutes and an excellent idea for potluck meals.
    • Lentil sweet potato salad: with roasted sweet potatoes, canned lentils, and cumin dressing.
    • Pasta salad with chickpeas: a meal-prep-friendly meal ready in just 20 minutes!
    • lentils and sweet potato salad
      Lentil Sweet Potato Salad
    • Quinoa chickpea salad with fork
      Chickpea Quinoa Salad
    • Rice salad with olives and tomatoes
      Rice Salad
    • chickpea salad
      Chickpea Salad

    For many more salad ideas, check out our salads category page.

    Recipe

    kale and quinoa salad

    Kale and Quinoa Salad

    Author: Nico
    This kale and quinoa salad is a tasty, nutritious, and colorful recipe excellent as a healthy make-ahead lunch or dinner and for meal prepping as it keeps well for several days.
    Take our recipe as a guideline and customize it to your liking. Here we provide you with plenty of ideas and substitutions to make your best kale and quinoa salad.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 343 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    Base Salad

    • 1 cup quinoa cook it with 2 cups water
    • 5 ounces kale any, about 5 cups chopped, massage it with juice from ½ lemon and ½ teaspoon of salt
    • 1 cup red bell pepper
    • ½ cup corn
    • ½ cup spring onions
    • ⅓ cup toasted almonds

    Dressing

    • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon mustard
    • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

    Recommended Add-Ins (pick one or more)

    • ½ cup feta or vegan feta, crumbled
    • 2 cups roasted butternut squash or roasted pumpkin
    • 2 cups roasted kabocha squash
    • 2 cups roasted sweet potatoes
    • 2 cups pan-fried tofu
    • 1 cup chickpeas

    Instructions
     

    MASSAGE THE KALE

    • Cook quinoa in boiling water until all water is absorbed (about 12 minutes).
      In the meantime, pull the kale leaves off their stems.
      Discard the stems or use them in stocks and soups.
      hands and kale leaves
    • Rinse and shake the water off the kale leaves, then chop them into small pieces.
      chopping kale with a knife
    • Add leaves to a large mixing bowl, add the lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of salt and pinch the kale with your fingertips to soften its texture.
      Do so for 1 minute, then set aside and prep the dressing.
      hands massage kale in a bowl

    MAKE THE DRESSING

    • To a small jar, add all ingredients, close, and shake well.
      Alternatively, you can whisk ingredients in a small bowl.
      honey mustard dressing in a jar

    MIX THE SALAD

    • Add diced red pepper, corn, finely chopped scallions, and chopped toasted almonds to the bowl with the kale.
      At this stage; you can also add your favorite add-ins.
      kale and veggies in a bowl
    • Add quinoa, pour in the dressing, and mix well before serving.
      kale and quinoa salad in a bowl

    VARIATIONS

    • ADD FETA: crumbled feta (or vegan feta) adds a creamy, tangy, and salty flavor, making it irresistible.
      Kale quinoa salad with feta
    • ADD ROASTED VEGGIES: kale is delicious with roasted orange-colored vegetables. Try roasted pumpkin, butternut squash, kabocha squash, or sweet potatoes.
      Cut them into bite-size dice, toss them in olive oil and salt, and roast them in a preheated oven at 400°F or 200°C for 20 minutes or until fork tender.
      kale and quinoa salad with roasted pumpkin
    • ADD TOFU: pan-fried tofu is an excellent way to add tasty and high-quality plant-based protein to this kale and quinoa salad.
      You can make it in 15 minutes with simple ingredients. Recipe is linked in the ingredients list.
      Kale quinoa salad with tofu

    Video Recipe

    Kale Quinoa Salad (meal-prep idea)

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 serving of kale and quinoa salad out of 6 servings, with 2 cups of roasted sweet potatoes.
    SUBSTITUTIONS
    - Kale: you can use any kale, such as dinosaur, lacinato, cavolo nero, red kale, and curly kale.
    - Quinoa: you can use white, red, black, or tri-color quinoa. Substitute whole grain rice, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, barley, and farro for quinoa.
    - Red bell pepper: substitute halved cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, or thinly sliced red cabbage.
    - Corn: substitute yellow bell pepper or small apple pieces.
    - Almonds: substitute mixed seeds, chopped walnuts, or pecans.
    - Honey: substitute with maple syrup or agave syrup.
    - Dressing: other dressings that are excellent with kale quinoa salad are our tahini sauce, our Italian dressing, and our carrot and ginger dressing.
    MAKE AHEAD & STORAGE
    - Make ahead: kale quinoa salad is excellent to make ahead and for meal prep as it keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I'd argue that the salad gets better on the second day as the kale softens up in the refrigerator and the quinoa absorbs the flavor from the dressing and the veggies.
    - Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If the salad gets a little dry on the third day, that's normal. You can make another half batch of dressing to drizzle in with.
    - Freezer: this is not a freezer-friendly recipe.
    - Reheat: we recommend taking it out of the refrigerator half an hour before eating it (if you have the time), as it will taste better at room temperature.
     

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Kale and Quinoa Salad
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 343 Calories from Fat 171
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 19g29%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
    Monounsaturated Fat 12g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 646mg18%
    Carbohydrates 39g13%
    Dietary Fiber 7g29%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 9g18%
    Vitamin A 8703IU174%
    Vitamin B6 0.4mg20%
    Vitamin C 78mg95%
    Vitamin E 6mg40%
    Vitamin K 137µg130%
    Calcium 145mg15%
    Folate 118µg30%
    Iron 3mg17%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 123mg31%
    Zinc 2mg13%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

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