Kale Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with Cranberries is a plant based salad full of vibrant whole foods; a healthy side for any holiday gathering.
I wanted to make a fall, thanksgiving, harvest type quinoa salad that would be a healthy side option for a potluck or holiday dinner. I love my Mexican quinoa salad but wanted something less summer and so this Kale Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with Cranberries, Apples & Pecans was created.
This sweet potato quinoa recipe is easy to make however does take a little bit of time as the quinoa and sweet potatoes need to cook before assembling the dish. You can always cook them ahead of time to shorten the time it takes to put together this salad. I used a combination of red & white quinoa but any color will work. I suggest using honeycrisp apples but any sweet, crisp apple will do. If preparing ahead of time leave out the chopped pecans so they do not get soggy and then mix them in just before serving. Store this salad in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Full of vibrant and colorful vegetables, fruits and whole grains this salad is a healthy option without a doubt. This recipe is whole food plant based (wfpb) using no highly processed ingredients, is oil free, and free of dairy or any other animal products; feel free to omit the salt as well. Don’t let it being labeled as vegan or vegetarian stop you from enjoying it and all the vitamins and antioxidants it has to offer.
I almost named this the fall quinoa salad as it has classic fall flavors like sweet potatoes which I will never stop loving and cranberry, oh and lets not forget about those crisp autumn apples. This would make a great healthy side for a potluck, thanksgiving or family holiday dinner. It make a big bowl- enough for a dozen people to get a scoop or two. The salad fits perfectly into the medium bowl in this set, check it out here. If you are on your own like me it also can serve as the base of some meal prep for the week just add a side of crispy tofu or chickpeas and you have your self lunch for the week.
Okay enough of me talking- Here’s the recipe for my Kale Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberries!
Kale Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked quinoa 1 cup dry
- 2 1/2 cups cubed sweet potato 3 small potatoes
- 2 apples honeycrisp
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 2 lemons
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
-
Cook 1 cup dry quinoa per package instructions, you will get about 4 cups. Let cool.
-
Rinse sweet potatoes and cut in 1/2 inch cubes. Bake at 400° 25-30 minutes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
-
In a large bowl mix cooled quinoa, cooled sweet potatoes, chopped apple, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, chopped kale.
-
Toss with juice of 2 lemons, Apple Cider Vinegar, salt, pepper, paprika. Adjust seasoning to taste.
-
Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
Thanks for making it this far – be sure to leave a comment on how your quinoa salad turned out and tag @emilyhappyhealthy with photos of your salad.