Healthy Kale Superfood Salad with Crispy Quinoa
This Healthy Kale Superfood Salad with Crispy Quinoa is fresh, flavorful, and packed with nourishing ingredients. Loaded with crunchy vegetables, creamy avocado, crispy quinoa, and a bright homemade dressing, this easy vegan salad is perfect for lunch, meal prep, or a healthy side dish.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 331kcal
Equipment
- 1 1/2-baking sheet, lined with parchment paper
- 1 small bowl for the salad dressing
- 1 large salad bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cups shredded kale
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup cucumber slices, halved
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- ¼ cup fresh basil, minced
- 1 tablespoon hemp hearts
Red wine vinegar dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon
- juice from ½ a lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 1/2-sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Add the cooked and cooled quinoa to a lined 1/2-baking sheet. Toss in olive oil or avocado oil, salt, and pepper, and then evenly spread it out. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes. *If using a toaster oven, keep in mind that cooking times will vary. Allow the quinoa to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Make the red wine vinaigrette. Add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl. This includes olive oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Whisk everything together and set aside.
- Add the kale leaves to a large salad bowl. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and use your hands to massage the leaves for about 20-30 seconds. This will soften the leaves.
- Add the remaining ingredients, including blueberries, cucumber, pumpkin seeds, almonds, basil, hemp hearts, and toasted quinoa.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and give it a good toss. Serve immediately or chill for an hour before serving. *If you are serving later, I recommend tossing the toasted quinoa just before serving.
Notes
Storage:
Store any leftover kale superfood salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. *The crispy quinoa will soften as it sits. If you're making it ahead of time, I recommend storing the dressing and crispy quinoa separately until you're ready to serve. This keeps the kale fresh and the quinoa perfectly crunchy. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 5 days.
Tips and Modifications:
Massage the kale. Don't skip this step! Massaging the kale with a little olive oil for 1-2 minutes softens the leaves, reduces bitterness, and creates the best texture.
Dry the kale well. After washing, thoroughly dry the kale so the dressing clings to the leaves instead of sliding off.
Make it a meal by adding roasted chickpeas, crispy tofu, edamame, or your favorite protein for an even more satisfying lunch or dinner.
Customize the fruit. Try swapping the blueberries for chopped apples, pears, pomegranate arils, or dried cranberries, depending on the season.
Switch up the nuts and seeds. Slivered almonds can easily be replaced with chopped pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pistachios.
For extra healthy fats and creaminess, top the salad with diced avocado just before serving.
Store the dressing and crispy quinoa separately until you're ready to eat to keep everything fresh and crunchy.
Double the crispy quinoa. Make an extra batch while you're at it! It's delicious sprinkled over soups, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, and other salads throughout the week.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1149IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg