Honey Mustard Quinoa Apple Salad (Printable Version)
Fluffy quinoa tossed with crisp apples, cranberries, and tangy honey mustard dressing, finished with crunchy fried shallots.
# What You Need:
→ Quinoa
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
→ Salad
04 - 2 crisp apples (such as Honeycrisp or Gala), diced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach, packed
06 - 1/2 cup chopped celery
07 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries
08 - 1/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
09 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Honey Mustard Dressing
10 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
11 - 2 tbsp honey
12 - 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
13 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Crispy Shallots
15 - 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
16 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
17 - 1/3 cup neutral oil, for frying
# How to Make It:
01 - In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa, water, and fine sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool completely.
02 - Toss sliced shallot rings in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry shallots in small batches until golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain and sprinkle lightly with salt.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, diced apples, baby spinach, chopped celery, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and fresh parsley. Drizzle with the honey mustard dressing and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Divide the salad among plates and top each serving with a generous sprinkle of crispy shallots. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The honey mustard dressing pulls every ingredient together without overpowering the fresh, bright flavors you actually want to taste.
- Crispy shallots on top of anything make it feel like you put in far more effort than you did, and this salad leverages that beautifully.
02 -
- The crispy shallots lose their crunch within an hour, so always fry them last and add them at the very moment you plan to serve.
- Cooling the quinoa completely before assembling prevents the spinach from wilting and the apples from turning soft.
03 -
- Agave nectar swaps seamlessly for honey if you are cooking for vegan friends, and no one will notice the difference.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the diced apples before assembling prevents browning and adds an extra layer of brightness.