Quinoa Salad with Cranberries

When it comes to healthy quinoa salads, the flavor and mix-in options are endless. The variety of vibrant flavors and textures in this zesty quinoa salad is insanely good. In each bite of fluffy quinoa, you also get a taste of spicy radicchio, juicy cranberries, and crunchy pistachios.

This recipe is from a class I took at William Sonoma, all about incorporating superfoods into your diet with quick and tasty recipes. I fell in love with this particular dish because it transforms bland quinoa into a colorful, flavorful, and nutritional powerhouse. Eating the rainbow never tasted so good.

Did you know that quinoa is a fantastic source of complete proteins?! It’s true! That said, this quinoa salad with cranberries is more than just a healthy side dish. It’s also a great gluten-free and dairy-free meal. Enjoy!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s a great way to incorporate quinoa into your diet. Plain quinoa can be bitter, but this preparation makes it SO good.
• Quick and easy. It’s made with simple, healthy ingredients in just 20 minutes.
• It’s naturally dairy-free and gluten-free.
• It’s super flexible. You can swap ingredients in and out to your liking.

• Quinoa: Quinoa is a quick-cooking whole grain. It takes just 15 minutes to make a batch of light and fluffy quinoa. You can make it in advance or use leftover quinoa if you have any.
• Chicken Broth + Water: The liquid to quinoa cooking ratio is 2 cups of liquid for every cup of quinoa. I like to cook quinoa in equal parts broth and water. It deepens the color and flavor. You can also use beef broth here or vegetable broth to make a vegan quinoa salad.
• Radicchio: This is one of my favorite leafy veggies. It’s a beautiful shade of purple with a nice bitter-spicy bite and an excellent source of fiber and antioxidants. Shredded cabbage can be used as well.
• Balsamic Vinegar: dresses the salad with rich and tangy flavor. For a slightly different taste, you could use red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar,but the sweetness of the balsamic is a nice flavor contrast to the bitterness of the radicchio. A sweet gourmet aged balsamic from an oil & vinegar shop is highly recommended for best flavor. Most grocery store balsamic vinegars aren’t as thick, sweet, and flavorful.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: balances the balsamic vinegar and helps keep the quinoa moist and tender.
• Dried Cranberries: Sweet and juicy dried cranberries pair perfectly with quinoa. Not to mention, they give this salad a festive holiday feel.
• Pistachios: because every salad needs a little crunch and pistachios are delicious! Feel free to use any of your favorite chopped nuts here. They’re even better toasted!
• Flat-leaf Parsley: brightens up all of the fresh ingredients.
• Salt & Pepper: enhances every flavor and brings it all together.

How To Make This Zesty Quinoa Salad

Step 1: Rinse quinoa.

Measure out your quinoa and place it in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.

Step 2: Cook quinoa.

In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the water and stock to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the grains are tender and the liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes).

Cook 3: Cool quinoa.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside to cool to room temperature.

Step 4: Toss salad and serve.

Add the cooled quinoa, radicchio, balsamic vinegar, EVOO, dried cranberries, pistachios, and parsley in a large bowl. Toss to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Always rinse your quinoa. The natural coating on quinoa grains has a bitter, soapy taste. A good rinse gets rid of that unpleasant flavor.
• Be sure to let the quinoa cool to room temperature before tossing it with the remaining ingredients to keep the mix-ins fresh and crisp.
• You can cook the quinoa 1 to 2 days in advance and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the rest of the dish.
• It would be best if you used dried cranberries. Fresh cranberries are too tart and sour.

Variations

There’s no wrong way to make this quinoa salad your own. Feel free to switch up the veggies, dried fruit, and nuts. Here are a few yummy ideas:

• Chopped almonds, walnut or pecans
• Diced apple or pear
• Avocado
• Dried dates, cherries or raisins
• Kale, spinach or arugula
• Soft cheese like feta or goat cheese
• Roasted broccoli
• Roasted butternut squash

How To Serve Quinoa Salad with Cranberries

This quinoa salad is a satisfying meal on its own. You can also serve it as a delicious side dish with protein. As a light and tasty side salad, quinoa salad with cranberries pairs perfectly with:

• Parmesan Crusted Chicken
• Grilled Salmon
• Traditional Holiday Turkey
• Cajun Fish Soup
• Italian Sausage and Ravioli Soup

Looking for more quinoa salads? Check out Mediterranean Quinoa Salad.

Storing & Freezing

Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This salad is great enjoyed cold or warmed through in the microwave.

Freezing: While I do not recommend freezing quinoa salad, you can freeze cooked quinoa for up to 3 months. Thaw the quinoa in the refrigerator overnight and then toss with the toppings and mix-ins before serving.

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