Quinoa Apple Salad

This delicious, healthy, and fruity Quinoa Apple Salad recipe makes a great lunch or side salad alongside your favorite main dish, like Air Fryer Filet Mignon or Creamy Garlic Tuscan Salmon.

Quinoa is a super versatile grain. Not only is it high in protein, but it also contains plenty of fiber and has a rich and nutty taste which lends itself well to healthy salads. Paired with crisp apples, this Apple Quinoa Salad not only looks amazing but has a unique taste and texture.

The crisp texture of the apple together with the dried cranberries and finely diced vegetables make a delicious combination. It has a simple maple dijon dressing. All of the flavors really shine through in this recipe, making it one of my favorites! 

If you’re looking for more healthy meals, check out some of my favorites like these Breakfast Hummus Bowls, Seared Scallops And Spaghetti Squash, or this Avocado Risotto Recipe!

Ingredients You will need

Recipe Substitutions

• Grains: You can use brown rice, couscous, or cauliflower rice in place of the quinoa. 
• Golden raisins: Afantastic substitute if you don’t have dried cranberries on hand!
• Crunch: Carrots or cucumbers work in place of celery if you prefer.
• Herbs: Feel free to use fresh coriander, fresh mint, or fresh thyme in place of the parsley.

Additional Toppings for Apple Quinoa Salad

I love to add a variety of different flavors and toppings to my salads to keep them interesting!

• Cheese: Feta cheese, tangy blue cheese, or goat cheese would all add great flavor.
• Fruits & veggies: Red grapes, sunflower seeds, leafy greens like lacinato kale or arugula, creamy avocado, bell peppers, or dried apricots would all taste great!
• Protein: For extra protein, try serving with Chimichurri Steak, Air Fryer Shrimp and Peppers, or Creamy Tuscan Salmon.

How to Make Apple Quinoa Salad

Are you ready to make this easy and unique quinoa salad? I am so excited to share this recipe with you. It’s the perfect salad that never goes out of style, no matter what season it is. Quinoa Apple Salad is great for sharing with friends and family at the dinner table. 

This is a great recipe option to share with friends and family. It’s vegetarian, vegan, and dairy free, as well as being very high in plant based proteins.

1. Cook the quinoa. Bring the vegetable broth and rinsed quinoa to a steady boil in a medium sized saucepan. Add the cranberries, cover, and remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool, before transferring to a salad bowl. 
2. Prepare the dijon dressing. While the quinoa is cooking, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar with the garlic, allspice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, mix the quinoa together with the maple dijon vinaigrette. Now, mix in the sliced apples, celery, parsley, and walnuts. 
4. Serve. Serve this salad hot, at room temperature, or cold! I love to serve this salad warm with Air Fryer Tofu or Air Fryer Chicken Breast.

Recipe Tips

• I suggest rinsing your quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. This removes the quinoa’s natural coating, called saponin, which can give it a bitter taste.
• Source organic walnuts if possible, for a higher quality taste. 
• Serving this salad cold is perfect for summer!
• Make ahead: To plan ahead, you can pre-cook the quinoa, chop the apple and celery, and make the dressing ahead of time. Store it all in separate containers in the fridge, then simply combine it all when you are ready to enjoy.

Recipe Variations

Quinoa Chickpea Salad

The addition of chickpeas makes this variation of the quinoa salad even more protein-rich! This is another quick and easy way to get lots of protein while enjoying a healthy salad option.

Make it with crispy chickpeas, lemon juice, and cherry tomatoes.

Kale Quinoa Salad

Personally, I love this combination and it makes a fantastic holiday or summer salad. The crunchy kale packs a mighty punch of fiber and vitamins. Add some raw kale, green onions, cucumber, red wine vinegar, and minced garlic for healthy eating with great flavor.

Southwest Quinoa Salad

With the addition of Mexican-inspired flavors, this quinoa salad is unique and extremely tasty! Add black beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, avocado, fresh cilantro, and lime juice

Helpful Kitchen Tools

• Cutting board. Having a solid cutting board to work makes you feel good about making salads and won’t dull your knives. Choose a large, wooden chopping board that is comfortable to use and can be easily cleaned. 
• Beautiful bowls. There are so many beautiful salad bowls to choose from. Why not invest in some new salad bowls, in different colors and sizes? They really brighten up the table and make a salad more interesting. This is my favorite salad bowl.
• Serving Utensils. When serving a salad, why not make a statement? These serving utensils are my go-to, but I like these for a more formal dinner table.
• Baking Sheet. Next time you are in the market to update your bakeware, I highly recommend investing in one that will last forever; after all, all you need is one good sheet pan!
• Strainer. A big part of cooking is prepping! One of my favorite tools to keep handy for washing and prepping ingredients is this super handy fine mesh strainer.
• Airtight Container. Good storage containers are so important! Whether you are looking to make this salad for meal prep Sunday and enjoy it throughout the entire week or storing leftovers, these containers are fantastic.

More Easy Healthy Recipes

• Chopped Vegetable Salad
• Zucchini Salad
• Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
• Air Fryer Chicken And Broccoli
• One Pan Chicken And Peppers

If you tried this Quinoa Apple Salad or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!