Cranberry Pecan Salad

cranberry chickpea quinoa salad with kale and feta

This flavor packed Cranberry Pecan Salad features a tasty base of kale, quinoa, chickpeas, cranberries and red onion sprinkled with toasted pecans and feta and tossed in a light lemon dressing. Recipe yields 6 side salads or 3 larger portions.

Course Salad

Cuisine American, Vegetarian

Keyword Cranberry Chickpea Quinoa Salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 18

Total Time 33

Servings servings

Calories 292kcal

Author Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

½ cup dry quinoa
¾ cup water
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped kale
1 can chickpeas (15 oz) drained and rinsed
½ cup dried cranberries
¼-⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional) skip if vegan

LIGHT LEMON DRESSING

1.5 lemons (freshly juiced)
3 TBSP avocado oil or light olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

COOK THE QUINOA

Rinse and drain your quinoa using a mesh strainer or sieve. Bring a small pot to medium heat and lightly toast the quinoa to remove any excess water, stirring often. This step is optional but really adds to the nuttiness and fluff factor of the quinoa!
Next add your water, set burner to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered with the lid slightly ajar, for 12-13 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and the liquid has been absorbed.
Once the quinoa is ready, fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a medium bowl or a dinner plate to cool.
To save on time, prep the rest of the salad ingredients while the quinoa cooks.

TOAST THE PECANS

Oven Instructions: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until they darken a shade or two and smell nutty, 4-5 minutes. Check nuts at 4 min and keep an eye on them for remainder of the bake time. Set aside.
Stove Top Instructions: To toast pecans, add to a medium stainless steel skillet over medium heat, and toast the pecans until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 2-5 minutes.
Transfer toasted pecans to a plate or cutting board to fully cool; the nuts will crisp as they cool.

PREP THE SALAD

For the super simple lemon dressing, whisk together avocado or olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Peel and finely mince/press one clove of garlic and whisk into to dressing. Alternatively pile the ingredients in a lidded mason jar and shake to combine. Set aside.
PRO TIP: to take the bite out of the onion, add to the freshly made dressing and let it marinate while you prep the remainder of the salad.
Wash and dry kale leaves. Remove the leaves from the stem and finely chop into small pieces. Add to a large mixing bowl and massage with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt for extra-tender, silky kale that tastes GREAT!
To the mixing bowl with the kale, add all the remaining ingredients and drizzle the dressing on top. Mix well and enjoy! Additional salt and pepper may be added if desired.
You can dive in right away or chill before serving. I love it both ways!

MEAL PREP OPTION

Store toasted pecans in an airtight container on the counter (to keep them crispy) and place the dressed salad in the fridge. The dressing will soak into the salad and amplify the flavor even more. Love it so!
Prepped salad can be enjoyed for up to 4 days.

Notes

Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed if adding optional feta (approx. 50 cal per serving) as well as any extras/swaps.

Nutrition