Recipe Quinoa Salad Dried Cranberries

Those of you have been reading for a long time may recall that this dish first made its debut at our wedding in 2012, and has since made many appearances as a side dish at our holiday gatherings – especially Thanksgiving!

This recipe has always been delicious, but I wanted to refresh the post with new photos, a bit more recipe instructions/details, and so forth – so here you go! Our old favorite classic with a little upgrade, just in time for fall.

Back when we first met with our wedding caterer (Celebrations Catering ) many years ago to figure out our reception menu, I mentioned that I’d like to have some sort of vegan quinoa salad on the buffet line, as some of our attendees were vegan and I wanted something for them to eat other than the usual plain pasta.

Quinoa Salad With Oranges, Pecans And Cranberries

They said they would see what they could do, and at our wedding food tasting the spring before our wedding, we got our first taste of what they had come up with for us.

It was delicious, and proved to be an even bigger hit on the big day at our wedding! I had so many guests asking for the recipe that I emailed our caterer and asked if they’d let me share it here on the blog. 🙂 Thankfully, they said yes!

When I made the recipe again the following month for Thanksgiving (and for many more holiday dinners after that), it was just as delicious as we all remembered.

Kale Cranberry Quinoa Salad (gluten Free + Dairy Free)

I love how refreshing, simple, and tasty this recipe is. It’s an easy side dish for Thanksgiving, or really for any fall meal! Plus, it’s easy to store and transport if you’re going to a family gathering or holiday potluck.

The cranberries give it a little sweet & tangy flavor, while the pecans give it a bit of crunch. And you all know I’m a big fan of quinoa. 🙂 The fresh herbs and chopped green onions are the (metaphorical) icing on the cake!

Feel free to also throw in some arugula, spinach, and/or goat cheese (if you aren’t trying to keep this recipe vegan, obviously).

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Quinoa Salad With Cranberries And Pecans

Now, let’s get into how to make the recipe! Fortunately, it comes together in less than 30 minutes, because I like to keep things quick and easy!

Start by cooking your dried quinoa. Rinse it in a strainer, then place it in a medium sauce pot with the vegetable stock/broth.

Cover the pot and bring to a full boil. Then, reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. I like to fluff it with a fork at this point.

Quinoa With Dried Cranberries And Toasted Pecans

Next, combine all the other ingredients (except for the optional green onion garnish) in a bowl. Pour on top of your cooked quinoa and mix. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Serve immediately, or cover and chill in the fridge. You’ll find the full vegan cranberry quinoa salad recipe at the bottom of this post.

Once the quinoa salad is cool, place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to serve, eat the quinoa salad cold, or reheat in the microwave if desired.

Cranberry Quinoa Salad With Pomegranate & Kale

In the original recipe the pecans were roasted and spiced. Plain pecans work just as well, but spiced pecans are definitely an added bonus if you have some on hand.

Sign up for my e-newsletter and I'll send you a meal plan packed with a week's worth of healthy meals, snacks and a shopping list. Happy eating!Cranberry Quinoa Salad is a healthy recipe that involves simple ingredients like fresh herbs, almonds, and feta cheese. With a delicious lemon dijon dressing, it’s the perfect refreshing side dish or main course! Ready in less than 30 minutes.

That’s it. I could’t wait any longer to share this cranberry quinoa salad recipe with you! It’s easily my favorite go-to side dish for any main course. Plus, it makes a great dish for taking to potlucks or gatherings.

Colorful Quinoa Salad With Dried Cranberries And Pine Nuts

One of the reasons this salad is so easy to make is because it’s really just about assembling the ingredients after you’ve cooked your quinoa. When cooked correctly, it’s full of flavor and is über fluffy.

The dish itself is refreshing, light, and full of honey dijon garlic flavor. The saltiness from the feta amplifies the sweet cranberries and all of the fresh parsley and green onion, making every bite that much more delicious.

The lemon dijon dressing is one of my favorite parts. Made with dijon mustard, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt, it is simple, full of flavor and adds the perfect zing to the quinoa salad.

Kale Salad With Quinoa And Cranberries

For this salad we’ll be mixing ingredients like quinoa, cranberries, scallions, almonds, and feta cheese to form the salad base. For the dressing, we’re making a delicious olive oil and lemon-based honey garlic mustard vinaigrette. It makes the perfect addition in this recipe and leaves the salad tasting rich, tangy, and refreshing!

For this cranberry salad, you’ll need no more than 30 minutes to prep and cook. You’ll cook the quinoa, make the dressing, and then mix everything together!

Serve immediately for a warmer salad, or let it chill in the fridge and then serve cold. In my experience, the salad tastes even better the longer it sits in the fridge! This allows all of the flavors to truly mix together.

Easy Quinoa Salad With Cranberries

Yes, quinoa is gluten free, making it a wonderful option for anyone who prefers or needs to stay away from gluten. It’s a great alternative to rice and provides a wide range of nutrients. Each serving is full of fiber, iron, and calcium, as well as large amounts of protein!

Extra salad can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. If possible, I recommend storing the salad ingredients separate from the dressing, as this will keep it from getting watery or mushy.

Just incase the rest of this post didn’t convince you, there are so many reasons why this recipe should be on your list of attempts for this week.

Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Need some more greens in your life? I know the feeling! Here are some more delicious salads to try out. The pear salad is always a winner!

There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat 🙂by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 26 Comments

This Quinoa Cranberry Salad is full of fresh, feel-good flavours that everyone will love! With nutrient-rich spinach, sweet dried cranberries and a zippy lemon dressing, it is able to stand alone as a protein-packed, healthy meal, or can be served as a side. It's easy to make ahead of time and is naturally gluten-free.

Butternut Squash And Cranberry Quinoa Salad

This super yum Quinoa Cranberry Salad with Lemon and Spinach is what we need to talk about. Nutty quinoa, fresh, green spinach, chewy, sweet, dried cranberries and a really fresh and zippy lemony dressing to bring it all together in a very happy way.

I know quinoa salads aren't always top of everyone's list, because you know ... Q-U-I-N-O-A. That healthy, superfood, vegan stuff. But this is quinoa salad for quinoa salad and non-quinoa salad people and the rule for my salads ... Must. Taste. Amazing. Did you already try my Peach Quinoa Salad? Man, it's good, and you'll know exactly what I mean!

Bathe that quinoa in zingy lemon dressing and holy moly it's good. It's citrusy, grainy and totally satisfying. Anytime you are craving a healthy and zesty quinoa salad, this (or my quinoa-based gluten-free tabbouleh)is your friend.

Lemon Cranberry Quinoa Salad Recipe On Food52

Quinoa is a gluten-free, nutrient-rich seed that is high in protein and easy to cook. It's often mistaken for a grain because it is prepared and eaten in the same way.

Quinoa seeds come from a plant called goosefoot which is closely related to amaranth, and although it is technically a seed it can be classified as a wholegrain because of its high fibre and protein content.

Our ingredients list is pretty short and simple with a base of protein-rich and filling quinoa, leafy green spinach, fresh lemon for zippy flavour and dried cranberries for bursts of chewy sweet texture. That's pretty much it. Simple, hearty and so good.

Quinoa Salad With Cranberries, Apricots, And Pumpkin Seeds

With quinoa salads just about anything goes because quinoa is a bit of a blank slate. Additional ingredients that I think would work really well in this quinoa salad are:

Feel free to use my recipe as a base and switch it up with any or all of the above! If you want to make life easy though, just follow the recipe as stated, and know that it will be just perfect.

This quinoa cranberry salad can easily be made ahead of time so is perfect for taking along to picnics or potlucks. It's also a great accompaniment for grilled food and packs up really well for packed lunches.

Quinoa And Almond Salad

You can make it up to 2 days ahead but you must be