Honey Mustard Quinoa Apple Salad (Printable View)

Fluffy quinoa with crisp apples, cranberries, pecans, and tangy honey mustard dressing topped with crispy shallots.

# Ingredient List:

→ Quinoa

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Salad

04 - 2 crisp apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), diced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach, packed
06 - ½ cup celery, chopped
07 - ⅓ cup dried cranberries
08 - ¼ cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Honey Mustard Dressing

10 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
11 - 2 tablespoons honey
12 - 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
13 - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Crispy Shallots

15 - 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
16 - ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
17 - ⅓ cup neutral oil, for frying

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool completely.
02 - Toss the sliced shallot rings in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the 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 the Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, diced apples, baby spinach, chopped celery, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and fresh parsley. Drizzle the honey mustard dressing over the top and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Divide the salad among plates and top each portion with a generous handful of crispy shallots. Serve immediately while the shallots remain crunchy.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The honey mustard dressing is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything from roasted vegetables to sandwiches.
  • Crispy shallots on top make it feel fancy enough for guests but easy enough for a Tuesday.
  • It holds up beautifully in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and actually enjoy your own gathering.
02 -
  • Do not dress the salad more than an hour before serving or the spinach will weep and pool at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Fry the shallots last minute if possible because they lose their crunch after a few hours exposed to moisture in the fridge.
  • Agave syrup swaps in perfectly for honey if you are cooking for someone vegan.
03 -
  • Run the quinoa under cold water in a fine mesh strainer for at least thirty seconds, rubbing it with your fingers, because even pre-rinsed brands carry residual bitterness.
  • The oil for frying shallots is ready when a single flour-dusted ring sizzles on contact, not before, so test with one piece rather than dumping the whole batch in blindly.

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