Apple Quinoa Salad (Meal Prep Sorted)
Servings: 6 as a side
- 1 cup (200 g) dry quinoa tricolor or any variety
- 2 medium crisp apples such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady, diced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice for tossing with the apples
- ½ cup (1 handful) fresh parsley finely chopped
- ½ cup (60 g) dried cranberries
- ½ cup (50 g) pecans toasted, cooled, and roughly chopped
- ¾ cup (110 g) feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
For the maple-Dijon dressing
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon (20 g) maple syrup
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste, plus more for the quinoa cooking water
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Cook the quinoa: Bring a medium pot filled with plenty of lightly salted water to a boil. Add 1 cup dry quinoa and boil gently for 10–12 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm. Start tasting at 10 minutes to avoid overcooking.Drain in a fine-mesh strainer and leave it over a pot or bowl for about 10 minutes to drain and cool. Fluff with a fork to separate the grains.Note: We don’t rinse the quinoa when cooking it this way, but you can rinse it first if your package recommends it.
- Make the dressing: In a large salad bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
- Prepare the pecans and apples: Air-fry ½ cup pecans at 375°F (190°C) for about 3 minutes, checking toward the end so they don’t burn. Alternatively, toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring often. Let cool, then roughly chop.Dice 2 medium crisp apples into bite-sized pieces (skin on) and toss immediately with 2 tablespoons lemon juice to help prevent browning.
- Toss the salad: Add the cooled quinoa, apples, ½ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup dried cranberries, ¾ cup feta cheese, and ¼ cup red onion to the dressing.Add the pecans if serving now. Toss gently until evenly coated.
- Taste and serve: Taste and add more salt or vinegar if needed. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate.If making ahead, keep the pecans separate and add just before serving for the best crunch.
Substitutions
- Quinoa –> Any quinoa, farro, or bulgur; adjust cooking times.
- Apples –> Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, Ambrosia, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith.
- Lemon juice –> Lime juice.
- Parsley –> Chopped spinach for serving immediately; finely chopped, massaged kale for meal prep.
- Dried cranberries –> Dried cherries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots.
- Pecans –> Toasted walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or pumpkin seeds.
- Feta –> Goat cheese or shaved Parmesan.
- Red onion –> Shallot or green onions.
- Extra virgin olive oil –> Regular olive oil.
- Apple cider vinegar –> White or red wine vinegar.
- Dijon mustard –> Whole-grain mustard.
- Maple syrup –> Honey.
Tips
- Boil quinoa like pasta: taste at 10 minutes; drain while slightly firm.
- Toast the pecans: air-fry at 375°F (190°C) for about 3 minutes. Check often; let cool.
- Toss apples with lemon immediately: helps limit browning and adds tang.
- Chop onion finely: no overpowering bites.
- Taste after tossing: adjust salt and vinegar last.
- Making ahead? Keep pecans separate; extra dressing is optional.
- Storage: refrigerate airtight for up to 3 days. Avoid freezing the assembled salad; cooked quinoa can be frozen separately.
