Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad

This rockin' Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad is a superfood salad with the most amazing textures and flavors!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 348kcal

Author Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

8 ounces chopped fresh broccoli
olive oil for drizzling
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup dry quinoa
1 ½ cups water
2 ounces kale approx. 3 cups chopped
¾ cup roasted almonds approx. 3-4 ounces (see notes)
½ cup dried cranberries
⅓ cup feta

EASY LEMON DRESSING

1.5 lemons juiced
3 TBSP avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
¼ tsp sea salt plus any extra to taste
¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

ROAST THE BROCCOLI

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Chop and break off broccoli into small florets and add to a baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well and spread out, spaced, so each little piece has some room to get crispy on the edges.
Roast 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges are browned.
For a speedy salad, cook the quinoa and make the dressing while the broccoli roasts.

COOK THE QUINOA

Rinse and drain quinoa using a mesh strainer/sieve.
Bring a small pot to medium-high heat and lightly toast the quinoa to remove any excess water, stirring often. This step is totally optional but adds to the nuttiness and fluff factor of the quinoa!
Next add water, set burner to high heat, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered with the lid slightly ajar, for 13 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and the liquid has been absorbed.
Once the quinoa is ready, fluff with a fork and lightly season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer to a large mixing bowl

MAKE THE DRESSING

Juice 1 and a half lemons and peel and mince a clove of garlic. Combine in a small bowl or you can shake up the dressing in a lidded mason jar.
Add 3 TBSP oil (avocado or olive) along with 1 tsp vinegar, and ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper.
Whisk well (or add the lid to a mason jar and shake well) and give it a taste. A little sugar or maple syrups can be added if sweetness is preferred and extras of any of the ingredients (salt, pepper, lemon, etc...) may be added to suit your tastes.

SALAD TIME!

Into the large mixing bowl with the cooked quinoa, add roasted broccoli, chopped kale, chopped roasted almonds, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta.
Pour the freshly shaken/whisked lemon dressing on top and mix well. Give it a taste and add any additional salt and pepper desired to bring out the flavors. Additional nuts, cranberries, and feta can be added as well. Have fun with it!

Notes

I have been dry roasting almonds for snacking lately and love adding them to this salad! Roasting them guarantees perfect flavor and crunch. You can buy your almonds pre-roasted if preferred.

DIY Roasted Almonds:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Utilize the center rack of the oven.
Add whole almonds to a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast whole almonds approx. 10 minutes or slivered/sliced almonds for 8-10 minutes. Stir around halfway. Ovens tend to vary, so keep an eye on the almonds after the 8 min mark to prevent burning.
Remove from oven and allow almonds to cool. They'll continue crisping as they cool.

Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator for salad with dressing added. Adjust as needed and enjoy!

Nutrition