Easy Quinoa Salad With Dried Fruit And Nuts

This easy quinoa salad is packed with dried fruits and nuts for tons of flavor and texture, then coated in a light ginger dressing that always gets rave reviews. It’s hearty enough to fill you up as a light lunch, but it’s especially perfect for potlucks and picnics!

After you try this easy quinoa fruit and nut salad once, you’ll always want to make it. It’s wonderful for meal prepping since it’s eaten cold, but it’s also a really flavorful, colorful side to bring to parties. It’s wonderful served with some Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken or South Beach Balsamic Chicken for an extra dose of protein!

Why You’ll Love This Easy Quinoa Salad

• Perfect for potlucks - This salad makes a bunch of food and is incredibly flavorful with different dried fruits and nuts. Everyone always goes back for seconds! 
• Ready in a hurry - Although cooking and cooling the quinoa takes a little time, the salad comes together quickly. 
• Naturally vegan & vegetarian - As it is, this dish is dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. You can also make it nut-free by using sunflower or pumpkin seeds. It’s suitable for various food preferences and great for a crowd!

Ingredients

Salad ingredients

• Dried quinoa - You must cook and cool the quinoa completely before assembling the salad.
• Salt & pepper 
• Dried fruit - Aim for 2-3 varieties, like dried cranberries, blueberries, and apricots.
• Seeds and nuts  - I like to use sunflower seeds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds.
• Fresh herbs - This salad is especially great with fresh basil, cilantro, and mint. 
• Salad greens - Choose mild greens, like a spring mix or baby spinach.

Dressing Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Nut oil - I like to use walnut or hazelnut oil for extra flavor.
• Ground ginger - This adds a little bite.

Garnish

• Plain Greek yogurt - adds a creamy, tart flavor that brings the whole dish together.

Variations

• Add a little acid - Add a drizzle of fresh lemon or orange juice for an extra punch of flavor.
• Crumble in some cheese - After completely chilling the quinoa, crumble in some feta or goat cheese for a bit of creaminess and a tangy flavor.
• Add fresh fruit - This salad would be wonderful with some minced apple or orange segments for a pop of freshness.

How to Make Salad From Quinoa, Dried Fruit & Nuts

This recipe originally came from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan.

Make the Quinoa

1. Rinse the quinoa under cold water and drain it in a sieve.
2. Bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
3. Stir in the quinoa.
4. Reduce the heat and cook gently for 12 to 15 minutes or until the grains have expanded.
5. When they are cooked, each grain will have a ring around it.
6. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
7. If any water remains in the bottom of the pan, drain the quinoa.
8. Let cool to room temperature.

Add the Fruit, Nuts & Seeds

1. Cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces.
2. Chop the nuts and then toast them until lightly browned.
3. Mix the fruit, nuts, and herbs with the quinoa.

Prepare the Dressing

1. In a separate bowl to make the dressing, whisk the oils and ginger until well blended.

Combine & Serve

1. Mix the dressing into the salad mixture.
2. Serve at room temperature or cold over greens with a dollop of yogurt to garnish.

Expert Tips

• Use leftover quinoa - If you have extra leftovers after dinner, save it for this salad! This will help reduce the cooking time, too.
• Rinse the quinoa first - Quinoa can have an unpleasant, soapy flavor without rinsing. 
• Let the quinoa cool completely - Be patient with this salad! If the quinoa is hot before you add the herbs and dried fruits, they won’t have the same texture or flavor. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the warm quinoa in the fridge and stirring often. 

Recipe FAQs

How long will quinoa salad last in the fridge?

Store the leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days, making it perfect for meal prepping. It should not be frozen as the fresh herbs and greens will become soggy and unpleasant to eat.

What do you turn cooked quinoa into a salad?

There are so many salad recipes for quinoa! It’s a very versatile seed that tastes just as great in savory preparations, like this Roasted Eggplant Quinoa Salad or Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, as it does in this quinoa salad with dried fruits and nuts. It’s often combined with many fruits and vegetables in a homemade dressing, but the flavor options are endless!

Should I eat quinoa salad hot or cold?

This quinoa salad with dried fruits is best served chilled. This will give it the best flavor and keep the herbs and greens nice and fresh. 

More Quinoa Recipes To Try

• Eggplant Chickpea Spiced Quinoa
• Andean Quinoa Corn Salad
• Quinoa and Black Bean Salad
• Corn and Quinoa Bread