there’s nothing fancy about this easy kale & quinoa salad – it just comes together quickly and is bursting with fall flavors, plant-based proteins, fiber and heart-healthy fats.
What’s the take on kale these days? Is it still as trendy as it was a while back? Remember back when everything was kale??
I feel like the frenzy has died down a little bit and now it’s just appreciated for what it is – a hearty, delicious leafy green loaded with flavor and nutrients!
I particularly love using kale in Autumn and Winter salads. It’s so hearty that it stands up really well to all kinds of ingredients (including those roasted in the oven!).
If you’re not a kale fan, this salad would also be delicious with an arugula or even a spring mix base. But the use of kale really makes it feel like “Fall” in my opinion.
Still though, even if you omit the kale you’re getting plenty of Fall flavors like apples, pears, cranberries and walnuts. The sweet fruits pair perfectly with the nutty quinoa, lightly toasted walnuts and creamy feta cheese (a goat cheese or a white cheddar would also be delicious!).
I dressed my salad with a basic olive oil and vinegar but this would also be amazing with an apple cider vinaigrette!
This makes a great lunch (or packed lunch!) or easy dinner. You’re getting protein from the quinoa, walnuts and feta, but if you want to add chickpeas or chicken, they would both go well here.
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autumn kale & quinoa salad
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 salad 1x
- Category: lunch
Description
there’s nothing fancy about this easy kale & quinoa salad – it just comes together quickly and is bursting with fall flavors, plant-based proteins, fiber and heart-healthy fats.
Ingredients
- 2 large handfuls ready-to-eat kale, stems removed
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 a medium apple, washed, cored & sliced thin (I love Envy, Macintosh or Gala here)
- 1/2 a medium pear, washed, cored & sliced thin (I love Bartlett or D’Anjou)
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped toasted walnuts
- 1–2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 2–3 tablespoons feta cheese
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Olive oil & vinegar, or other dressing of choice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients, toss with dressing & enjoy!
Keywords: lunch, salad, kale, autumn, whole grain, gluten-free, vegetarian
This is one of the prettiest salads I have seen!! SO good!!
Aw, so glad you feel that way! It’s really is so pretty and even more delicious than it looks! 🙂