Apple Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Walnuts
This apple cranberry quinoa salad is made with crisp green apples, chickpeas, Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, walnuts, and creamy goat cheese tossed in an easy homemade dressing. It's a hearty make-ahead salad that's perfect for meal prep, Friendsgiving, or Thanksgiving!
Ingredients
Salad Recipe
- 3 Cups Quinoa cooked
- 2 Cups Brussels Sprouts cooked & chopped
- 15 Ounces Chickpeas drained & rinsed
- 1 1/2 Cups Walnuts chopped
- 1 Cup Dried Cranberries
- 1 Large Green Apple diced
- 4 Ounces Goat Cheese crumbled
- salt & pepper to taste
Creamy Salad Dressing
- 3 Tbsps Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Mayonnaise I used olive oil mayo
- 2 Tbsps Red Wine Vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Salad Recipe
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add your Brussels sprouts. Boil for about 15 minutes, or until tender. While the Brussels sprouts are boiling, prepare the quinoa according to the package directions.
- Drain and rinse a can of organic chickpeas. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked Brussels sprouts, quinoa, and chickpeas. Let them cool until no steam remains, then season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, salt, pepper, mayonnaise (I used avocado oil mayo), red wine vinegar, honey, and garlic powder. Taste and adjust to your liking. Add more vinegar for extra tang, or more mayo or honey for a sweeter, creamier flavor. (Double the dressing if you like it extra creamy!)
- Pour the dressing over the quinoa, Brussels sprouts, and chickpeas. Toss until everything is well-coated.
- Fold in the crumbled goat cheese, chopped green apples, chopped walnuts, and dried cranberries.
- Serve it slightly warm or chilled straight from the refrigerator. It keeps beautifully for several days, perfect for meal prep, potlucks, or a cozy Friendsgiving side!
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