Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is one of my favorite proteins and can be enjoyed so many ways. This cranberry apple quinoa salad works well as a side dish, or you can have it as a main dish. It’s a great easy dinner recipe for summer. This post contains affiliate links.

This recipe has less than 7 main ingredients and can be made in 30 minutes or less.

How to make Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 granny smith apple, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp toasted walnuts
3 tbsp asian sesame dressing
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Combine the quinoa and broth in a medium sauce pan. Bring the quinoa to a boil, then simmer, covered for about 10-15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for ten minutes.

While quinoa is cooking, dice your apples and chop your onions.

Chop walnuts and lightly toast them in a small pan over medium-low heat. Set aside.

Add the apples, cranberries and green onions to the quinoa.

Sprinkle ground ginger over everything, and then add dressing. Toss to coat.

Top with toasted walnuts and serve immediately.

Print Recipe

Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: quinoa

Servings: 4

Author: Kerri Jablonski

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa rinsed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 granny smith apple diced
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3 green onions chopped
• 2 tbsp toasted walnuts
• 3 tbsp asian sesame dressing
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Instructions

• Combine the quinoa and broth in a medium sauce pan. Bring the quinoa to a boil, then simmer, covered for about 10-15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for ten minutes.
• While quinoa is cooking, dice your apples and chop your onions.
• Chop walnuts and lightly toast them in a small pan over medium-low heat. Set aside.
• Add the apples, cranberries and green onions to the quinoa.
• Sprinkle ground ginger over everything, and then add dressing. Toss to coat.
• Top with toasted walnuts and serve immediately.

Make Quinoa Salad a Main Dish

You can turn this into a main dish by serving it with sliced kielbasa or grilled chicken.

A gluten free stuffing.

This quinoa salad is also a great gluten free alternative for your holiday meal.

Is quinoa salad vegetarian?

You can substitute vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian.

What are the other ways to make quinoa salad?

You can substitute pears for apples.
You can substitute cherries for cranberries.

Can quinoa salad be served chilled?

This particular recipe is best served slightly warm, but I love this chilled quinoa salad recipe too!

NOTE: The particular dressing shown is not gluten free but any sesame/citrusy dressing can be substituted. YoMama makes a good gluten-free sesame dressing.