This quinoa salad is crunchy and festive, brimming with anise-flavored fennel and toasted walnuts. Dried cranberries and orange juice add a touch of sweetness. Do add the orange zest if you can — it heightens the citrus flavor. Great for everyday, or for enhancing your Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday menu, and it's naturally gluten-free since quinoa is the base rather than a grain like couscous.
Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Quinoa. Use regular or red quinoa, or a combination of both — red quinoa holds its shape a bit better and adds visual contrast against the pale fennel and dark cranberries.
- Fennel bulb. Brings a light anise flavor and satisfying crunch — thinly slice it for the best texture, cutting against the grain, and save any fronds for garnish.
- Dried cranberries. Add pops of sweet-tart flavor that balance the savory fennel and herbs; dried cherries make an interesting swap if you want a different tart note.
- Orange juice and zest. The zest is optional but heightens the citrus flavor considerably — add it if you can, since the juice alone gives a milder citrus note that can get lost among the other flavors.
- Walnuts. Toasting them first brings out a deeper, more buttery flavor than raw walnuts would give, and complements the anise notes of the fennel nicely.
Variations
- Add extra flavor. Toss an all-natural vegetable bouillon cube in with the water when cooking the quinoa — entirely optional, but adds a nice savory note to what's otherwise a fairly sweet dish.
- Swap the nuts. Pecans or toasted almonds work well in place of walnuts.
- Make it heartier. Add a can of drained chickpeas for extra protein, turning this side dish into a light meal.
- Add fresh herbs. A little chopped mint or parsley adds a fresh note that plays well with the citrus and fennel.
- Swap the dried fruit. Chopped dried apricots or golden raisins work in place of cranberries for a different but equally festive flavor.
Tips for the Best Quinoa Salad
- Rinse the quinoa well. This removes its natural bitter coating (saponin) before cooking, which can otherwise make the finished salad taste slightly soapy.
- Let the quinoa cool before mixing. Warm quinoa can wilt the fresh herbs and make the salad soggy instead of crisp and distinct.
- Toast the walnuts. A few minutes in a dry skillet or the oven makes a noticeable difference in flavor compared to raw walnuts.
- Taste and adjust the dressing. Add the lemon or lime juice gradually until the balance of sweet, tart, and savory is right — this salad benefits from a confident hand with acid.
- Slice the fennel paper-thin. A mandoline makes quick work of this and gives a more delicate texture than a knife alone.
Make Ahead & Storage
This salad keeps for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and is a great make-ahead option for a holiday table, since quinoa salads tend to hold up better than leafy green ones. Add any fresh herbs close to serving time for the brightest flavor, and taste again before serving since the quinoa can absorb some of the dressing as it sits.
How to Serve
Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled, any time of year. It's especially welcome on a Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday table alongside other festive sides.
Recipe
Quinoa Salad with Fennel and Cranberries
This quinoa salad is crunchy and festive, brimming with anise-flavored fennel and toasted walnuts. Dried cranberries and orange juice add a touch of sweetness.
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Servings:
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa see note
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
- 1 medium fennel bulb
- 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced,or ½ cup chopped baby carrots
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 2 scallions green parts only, sliced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
- ¼ cup orange juice preferably fresh
- 1 to 2 teaspoons grated orange zest optional
- 3 tablespoons lemon or lime juice more or less to taste
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the quinoa with 2 ¼ cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a slow boil, then cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Let the quinoa cool to room temperature.
- Toast the walnuts over medium heat in a small skillet until they are fragrant, about 5 minutes, shaking the pan often. Set aside.
- Cut the stalks away from the fennel bulb. Save them for another use if you’d like, such as making soup stock. Reserve the delicate leaves. Cut away the stem of the fennel bulb and cut it into narrow strips, 1 to 2 inches long.
- Combine the fennel and its leaves with the cooked and cooled quinoa in a serving container. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together.
- Serve at once, or let stand at room temperature for a bit before serving. This is a salad that can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight.
Nutrition (Estimate per Serving)
Calories: 269kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 37mgPotassium: 474mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 3528IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 2mg
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See more of VegKitchen's quinoa recipes, or explore more of our super savory salads.
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