Cranberry Quinoa Salad
This Cranberry Quinoa Salad is a bright, festive, and healthy holiday side-- perfect for potlucks, meal prep, and vegan-friendly gatherings!
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans toasted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- zest of 1 orange
Citrus Dressing
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp mild coarse-grained mustard
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Bring water or broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15–20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it stand for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Allow to cool completely (chilling helps the salad hold its texture).
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, mix cooled quinoa with pecans, feta, green onions, cranberries, and orange zest.
- Dress it up: Whisk together all citrus dressing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the salad and toss gently to coat.
- Chill + serve:Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. The flavors deepen beautifully over time.
