Quinoa Kale Salad
Healthy Quinoa Kale Salad is loaded with antioxidants, fiber, and heart-healthy fats. A budget-friendly, easy vegan dinner.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vegan
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 750kcal
- ⅓ cup pepitas
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Dressing:
- ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced or grated into dressing
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salad:
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
- ⅔ cups pomegranate seeds or chopped apple, or blueberries
- 15 ounces chickpeas canned, drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup chopped parsley
- 1 medium avocado
Toast nuts & seeds: Transfer pepitas and almonds to a medium rimmed non-stick baking sheet. Toss with tamari, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Bake at 350ºF for about 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside.
Make the dressing: Add the olive oil, garlic, Dijon, lemon juice, vinegar, and maple syrup to a medium jar. Cover and shake well until fully incorporated.
Assemble salad: Transfer the kale to a large bowl. Add about one-third of the dressing. Massage the kale with the dressing until just wilted. Add the quinoa, pomegranate, chickpeas, parsley, pepitas, almonds, and avocado. Toss with the remaining dressing for serving.
- This recipe is very versatile. Substitute the nuts, seeds, chickpeas, and quinoa with different nuts/seeds, beans, or grains of choice. The pomegranate is optional.
- Substitute the canned chickpeas for 1 ½ cups cooked.
Calories: 750kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 36g | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 1075mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5604IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 6mg