Honey Mustard Quinoa Apple Salad (Printable)
Fluffy quinoa tossed with apples, greens, and honey-mustard dressing, topped with crispy shallots.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 2 medium apples, cored and diced (such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
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
# Directions:
01 - Combine rinsed quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 13 to 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and let cool to room temperature.
02 - Toss sliced shallots with flour and a pinch of salt until evenly coated. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Fry shallots in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per batch until golden and crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
03 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until fully emulsified and smooth.
04 - In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, diced apples, mixed greens, toasted nuts, dried cranberries, and feta cheese if using. Drizzle with the dressing and toss until evenly coated.
05 - Top the salad with crispy shallots just before serving to maintain maximum crunch. Serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The honey mustard dressing clings to every grain of quinoa and makes each bite feel indulgent despite being genuinely good for you.
- Crispy shallots add a crunch so satisfying you will start putting them on everything from soups to sandwiches.
- It comes together in about half an hour with zero fancy techniques or hard to find ingredients.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad more than 20 minutes before serving or the greens will wilt into a sad soggy pile.
- Shallots lose their crunch quickly, so always fry them last and store any extras in a paper towel lined container.
03 -
- Dice the apples last minute and toss them with a tiny squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning without altering the flavor.
- The secret to truly crispy shallots is making sure they are patted completely dry before flouring, any moisture is the enemy of crunch.