Pomegranate Quinoa Salad

Pomegranate Quinoa Salad is a festive yet healthy winter salad for the holidays and cooler months. Sweet pomegranate seeds give it a wonderful color pop and add fresh flavor and texture.

The salad gets some heartiness from the quinoa, and some freshness from the greens, and shallots. The dressing has an olive oil base with apple cider vinegar and dijon mustard. Topped with a bit of feta cheese the combination is great! It’s perfect for health-conscious individuals who don’t want to compromise on taste but want to cook with healthy ingredients.  Quinoa is naturally gluten free, making this salad a great option for those with gluten sensitivities.

Pomegranate Quinoa salad would make a wonderful lunch or a pretty salad for your holiday table and meals this time of year.  If you are looking for another seasonal pretty salad check out Apple Walnut Salad with Cheddar Croutons and Strawberry Blue Cheese Salad. They are both great ways to use seasonal produce.

If you like Pomegranate Quinoa Salad and want to try another quinoa salad recipe check out Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad, Zucchini Corn Quinoa Salad and Quinoa Citrus Salad. They are all healthy recipes and different ways to enjoy quinoa all year long. You might also like Vegetable Quinoa Soup and Lemon Asparagus Quinoa.

If you have some pomegranate seeds left over you might want to make Orange Pomegranate Scones.

SOME THINGS TO KNOW:FAQ’S

INGREDIENT TIPS:

• Rinse the quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove any natural coating of saponins that can give it a bitter taste. Read about Quinoa Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits. You should also read Does Quinoa Need to Be Rinsed?
• For convenience, you can buy pre-packaged pomegranate seeds, but for the freshest taste and juiciest seeds, consider seeding a fresh pomegranate. To avoid the mess, you can seed it in a bowl of water. Read How to Seed a Pomegranate the Easy Way.
• For a creamier texture and milder taste, look for block feta that you can crumble yourself, as it is typically less processed than pre-crumbled feta.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

• Fine Mesh Strainer: To rinse the quinoa properly, a fine mesh strainer is needed. It is important to wash quinoa to remove the saponin coating, which can give it a bitter taste.
• Saucepan with Lid: A medium-sized saucepan with a lid is needed to cook the quinoa. The lid helps to retain steam and cook the quinoa evenly.
• Large Mixing Bowl: A large bowl is needed for mixing all the salad ingredients together. Choose a bowl that gives you enough space to toss the salad without spilling.
• Knife and Cutting Board: A sharp knife and a stable cutting board are needed for chopping the baby spinach/kale mix and slicing the shallot.
• Whisk: A small whisk is useful for emulsifying the dressing, ensuring that the oil and vinegar blend together nicely.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• White quinoa, red quinoa, or black quinoa will work well if rainbow quinoa is not available at your grocery store.
• The baby spinach/kale mix can be substituted with any leafy greens you prefer such as arugula, or Swiss chard. If you have an aversion to kale’s texture, use all baby spinach.
• If you would prefer a cranberry quinoa salad, substitute the pomegranate with dried cranberries or chopped fresh cranberries for a similar burst of sweetness and color.
• The shallots can be substituted with red onion for a sharper flavor or green onions for a milder taste.
• The feta cheese can be substituted with goat cheese for a similar tangy flavor or a vegan cheese alternative like almond-based feta-style cheese.
• If you do not have olive oil use another neutral tasting oil like avocado oil, canola oil or vegetable oil.
• If you do not have apple cider vinegar use lemon juice for a fresher citrus note or red wine vinegar.

HOW TO STORE POMEGRANATE QUINOA SALAD:

• If you haven’t dressed the salad, you can store the quinoa and vegetable mix in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Keep the pomegranate seeds in a separate container to prevent them from making the greens soggy.
• Store the crumbled feta in another container to maintain its texture.
• Store the dressing in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to a week. The flavors will continue to meld and develop as it sits.
• Freezing this salad is not recommended due to the delicate nature of the ingredients like baby spinach/kale and feta cheese, which do not freeze well. The water content in the greens can turn to ice, and upon thawing, they will become limp and lose their fresh texture. Feta cheese may also become crumbly and lose its creamy consistency.

Combine the cup quinoa and vegetable broth in a small saucepan. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Let the quinoa cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, spinach/kale mix, pomegranate seeds, feta cheese and shallots.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk together well.

Pour the dressing over the salad and mix together well.

Pomegranate Quinoa Salad

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Serves: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15- 20 minutes

Ingredients

• SALAD:
• 1 cup rainbow quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups baby spinach/kale mix, chopped
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 large shallot, sliced
• DRESSING:
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Combine the cup quinoa and vegetable broth in a small saucepan.

Turn your burner to high and bring it to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.

Let it simmer until all of the broth has been absorbed. This will take 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork. Set the fluffy quinoa aside to cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, spinach/kale mix, pomegranate seeds, feta cheese and shallots.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk together well.

Pour the dressing over the salad and mix together well.

Pomegranate Quinoa Salad was last modified: December 2nd, 2023 by Sue O'Connell