Honey Mustard Quinoa Apple Salad (Printable version)
Fluffy quinoa, crisp apples, and tangy honey-mustard dressing finished with crunchy crispy shallots.
# What you need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 2 medium apples, cored and diced (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith recommended)
04 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (spinach, arugula, or spring mix)
05 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
06 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries
07 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
→ Crispy Shallots
08 - 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
09 - 1/2 cup neutral oil (canola or sunflower)
10 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
11 - Pinch of salt
→ Honey Mustard Dressing
12 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
13 - 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
14 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
15 - 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To:
01 - Combine rinsed quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 13 to 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - Toss the thinly sliced shallots with flour and a pinch of salt until evenly coated. Heat neutral oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Fry shallots in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until the dressing is fully emulsified and smooth.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, diced apples, mixed greens, toasted nuts, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta if using. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Transfer the dressed salad to a serving platter or individual plates. Scatter the crispy shallots over the top just before serving to preserve their crunch.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The honey mustard dressing comes together in under a minute and tastes like something you would pay sixteen dollars for at a cafe.
- Crispy shallots turn a simple salad into something people will text you about the next day.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge, making it the rare salad that actually works as lunch leftovers.
02 -
- Shallots burn faster than you expect, so pull them from the oil when they are slightly lighter than you think they should be because they keep cooking after you remove them.
- Assemble everything but the shallots up to a day ahead and the flavors actually improve overnight in the fridge.
- Dice the apples right before tossing or a squeeze of lemon juice will keep them from browning.
03 -
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer shallots from the oil so you do not bring excess grease onto the paper towels.
- The dressing doubles or triples easily, so make extra because you will want it on roasted vegetables and grain bowls all week.