Honey Mustard Quinoa Apple Salad (Printable)

Fluffy quinoa tossed with crisp apples, cranberries, and a tangy honey mustard dressing, topped with crunchy fried shallots.

# What You'll Need:

→ Quinoa Base

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

→ Salad Components

04 - 2 crisp apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and diced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach, packed
06 - 1/2 cup celery, chopped
07 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries
08 - 1/4 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 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Crispy Shallots

15 - 2 large shallots, thinly sliced into rings
16 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free flour for GF version)
17 - 1/3 cup neutral oil for frying

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine rinsed quinoa, water, and sea salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low. Cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff grains with a fork and allow to cool completely to room temperature.
02 - Toss sliced shallot rings in flour, shaking off any excess coating. Heat neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry shallots in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season lightly with salt while still warm.
03 - Whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, and apple cider vinegar in a small mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking continuously until the dressing emulsifies and thickens slightly. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
04 - In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, diced apples, baby spinach, chopped celery, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and fresh parsley. Pour the honey mustard dressing over the top and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Divide the dressed salad among four plates. Scatter a generous handful of crispy shallots over each portion just before serving to maintain their crunch. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The honey mustard dressing pulls every ingredient together without drowning them, and it thickens slightly as it sits so leftovers taste even better the next day.
  • Crispy shallots on top make it feel like something you ordered at a cafe, except you made it in your own kitchen with almost no effort.
02 -
  • The crispy shallots lose their crunch after about an hour in the fridge, so always store them separately in a paper bag and add them at the last second.
  • Cooling the quinoa completely before assembling prevents the spinach from wilting and the apples from turning soft.
03 -
  • Shake the flour coated shallots in a fine mesh strainer before frying so you do not leave burnt flour bits floating in your oil.
  • Let the dressed salad sit for ten minutes before serving, because the quinoa soaks up flavor and everything tastes more cohesive.

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