Kale Cranberry Quinoa Salad
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Serve this Kale Cranberry Quinoa Salad this holiday season. This kale quinoa salad is loaded with flavor and sure to delight guests!
The perfect side salad for any meal
This kale quinoa salad is one of my favorite side salads. It is made with just a few ingredients, but still has a complex flavor. It is healthy, filling, and delicious.
This quinoa salad with cranberries rounds out a meal and pairs well with many proteins. Serve it as a side dish for your holiday meal or top it with chicken for a simple meal prep. Wish a salad this flavorful you are sure to delight even picky eaters.
Kitchen Tools
- Measuring spoons and measuring cups
- Liquid measuring cup
- Cutting board and sharp kitchen knife
- Small sauce pot
- Nonstick skillet
- Large bowl for tossing and serving
Serving ideas
This is the perfect side salad to serve with your favorite protein. It is fantastic with this Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin. I also like to serve it with some of the following recipes:
This kale and quinoa salad with cranberries would also be a great addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas meals. Add it to this simpleThanksgiving dinner menu for a balanced meal!
It pairs well with all the traditional holiday meal staples like turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole or sweet potatoes! A robust salad with your holiday feast sounds pretty great to me.
Kale and Quinoa Salad Ingredients
- Quinoa
- Sliced almonds
- Curly kale
- Dried cranberries
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Maple syrup
- Salt
- Black pepper
Additional topping ideas
This kale and quinoa salad is completely vegan, but if you like dairy I recommend adding a crumbly cheese. Goat cheese and feta cheese would both make really great additions to this salad.
I chose toasted sliced almonds to accompany this salad, but sunflower seeds, walnuts or pecans would be delicious additions.
Ingredients substitutions
I used curly kale for this kale salad recipe, but you could also use lacinato kale or baby kale instead. If you use baby kale you do not need to spend time massaging the kale with the dressing.
I used white quiona, but you can certainly use red quinoa or tri-color quinoa instead. If you don’t like quinoa, you can use the same amount of brown rice or wild rice.
To add a little more flavor you can mix a finely diced red onion into the dressing.
How to make this Kale Cranberry Quinoa Salad
Step 1: prepare the Quinoa
To begin, bring water and quinoa to a boil in a small sauce pot. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover the pot.
Simmer until the water is absorbed. Then, fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Step 2: Toast the Almonds
Next, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the almonds in the skillet until they are golden brown.
Be sure to toss frequently and watch closely so they don’t burn. Remove the almonds from the pan and set them to the side to cool.
Step 3: Chop kale and prepare vinaigrette
Devein and chop the kale into thin shreds. Combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl.
Then, pour the dressing over the kale. Massage the dressing into the chopped kale with clean hands.
Step 4: Toss together and serve
Finally, add the cooked quinoa, toasted almonds, and dried cranberries to the bowl with kale and dressing. Toss to combine everything and serve!
Storage
Store this kale and quinoa salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can prepare this salad ahead of time although it is best when eaten immediately after tossing in the dressing. If you want to make it ahead of time, prepare all of the ingredients. Then, toss it in the dressing until just before you serve it.
Check out these other simple salad recipes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Kale Cranberry Quinoa Salad
Make a delicious kale quinoa salad with dried cranberries and toasted almonds
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
- 16oz curly kale with the stems removed
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Bring 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water to a boil in a small sauce pot. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer until all of the water is absorbed. Fluff quinoa with a fork.
- While the quinoa cooks, heat a nonstick skillet over med-low heats. Toast almonds in the skillet until golden brown. Toss frequently and watch them so they don’t burn.
- Chop kale into thin shreds. In a small bowl combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and dijon mustard. Pour dressing over kale and massage into the kale with your hands – it may seem like there is too much dressing but the quinoa will absorb it.
- Pour cooked quinoa, toasted almonds and dried cranberries into the bowl with the kale. Toss to combine fully and serve!
Notes
Best if enjoyed immediately. Can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Flo says
I just made this to lunch prep for the next couple days, but it was so good when I tasted it that I ended up eating probably a whole serving out of the mixing bowl while standing over the sink. Will definitely be a repeat recipe! I used double the amount of mustard, but only because I know myself to be a mustard freak.
★★★★★
Madeline says
awesome!! so glad and we would for sure get along!!! I could double the mustard in literally every recipe lol 🙂
Allison says
I loved this recipe! So easy to throw together! I always forget how good you can make kale taste if you have the right dressing to soften and tone it down! Will definitely be making on repeat for upcoming Thanksgiving gatherings and just weekly lunches through fall/spring!
★★★★★
Madeline says
yay I hope it is a hit at Thanksgiving!
Kate says
Made this as a Thanksgiving side and it was delicious!! Was even better for a healthy lunch the next day topped with avocado and cornbread!
★★★★★
Madeline says
Omg yum that sounds so good!
Dawn says
One of my favorites for holidays and dinner parties!
★★★★★
Rachel E says
Made this last week and it was incredible. Took Madeline’s note about adding red onion to the vinaigrette—I used shallot because it was what I had on hand. Also added some seared pork tenderloin and feta crumbles on top to make it extra hearty. Do yourself a favor and make this fantastic recipe! You will not be disappointed!
★★★★★
Madeline says
thanks so much Rachel! shallot sounds great too!
ALYSSA says
Absolutely delicious
★★★★★
Madeline says
wonderful!! thank you!!
enewkirk says
It’s delicious! I added some Feta cheese.
★★★★★
Madeline says
yum! thank you!
Pam says
One cup of uncooked quinoa makes so much! That’s not too much for this recipe?
Madeline says
yes! if you want less quinoa and more kale you can do 1/2 cup quinoa and more kale.
Anne says
So good and hearty!! I will fix again!
★★★★★
Madeline says
thanks Anne!
Rose says
Just made this, and it is delicious! I’m transitioning to a cleaner diet and saw this recipe and decided to give it a try. The flavors balance each other perfectly! Will keep this salad on my rotation! Thank you!
★★★★★
Madeline says
thanks so much Rose!
Laurie says
Great salad. Thank you.
Madeline says
love to hear it! Thank you!
Jessica says
What do you use the salt and pepper for?
Madeline says
season to taste at end
Mathuraiveeran says
Easy & nice
★★★★★
Madeline says
thanks!
Ashley says
I made this for my in office lunches this week. So good!
★★★★★
Rebecca J says
Do you really mean 16oz of kale? That was my whole bag, which is about 16 cups by size. The video looked like the amount of kale was close to the same amount as the quinoa when prepared, so I figured that weight of kale wasn’t what you meant, but had to guess on my own then tonight. I found it to be too oily for me, but I will always wonder if it was the mystery amount of kale!
Madeline says
16oz chopped should not be 16 cups. I always recommend following the recipe as written for best results!
Rebecca J says
I did follow the recipe, and I purchased Kale pre-chopped, in a bag that is 10+ cups by size but 16oz by weight. That’s why I asked for a size estimate, which isn’t here in the recipe. So I’m still not sure at all how much you meant! If you could give me an estimate of the size of your chopped kale, I’d be ever so grateful.
Erica says
I have the same question. I bought pre chopped and the bag is 16 is but 10 cups. Could you let us know how many cups roughly??
Madeline says
Hi Erica! The recipe calls for 16oz so I recommend using the entire bag.
Joanne says
Made this for lunch today just as instructed. It was delicious with plenty of leftovers.
★★★★★
Madeline says
Great to hear! Thanks, Joanne!
Barb says
Enjoyed this salad and will definitely make it again. I enjoyed even more the next day.
I added apple and blueberries.
I didn’t have apple cider vinegar so used fig balsamic.
It was a hit.
Thank you for sharing
Madeline says
Awesome! Thanks, Barb!
Jen says
This is my favorite salad recipe. Everyone asks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Madeline says
Wow! Great to hear. Thanks, Jen!
Stan S. says
I’m a newbie cook who found this recipe to be quite easy. (Fortunately, I had all the ingredients.) The dressing was delicious, and the salad had a nice crunch to it. Next time instead of bothering to roast almonds, I’m going to use sunflower seeds for even more crunch.
Will make it again. Perhaps for company.
Madeline says
Wonderful. Thanks, Stan!