Salad with quinoa and caramelized walnuts
I love eating apples regardless of the season. This vibrant apple quinoa salad is a fantastic way to enjoy them, blending fresh ingredients that work all year round. The dish is finished with a delicious sweet mustard dressing that really ties the flavors together. Definitely don’t skip the dressing; it’s super simple to make and comes together in just a few minutes.
Ingredients
For the Quinoa Salad:
- 60 gr spinach or other greens
- 1 medium apple, sliced
- ½ a large pomegranate seed
- 30 g quinoa (dry)
- 30 gr caramelized walnuts
- 50 gr goat cheese
For the Sweet Mustard Dressing:
- 35 gr extra virgin olive oil
- 10 g of high-quality 4% vinegar (can be replaced with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice)
- ½ tbsp honey
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- fresh herbs
- freshly ground pepper and salt (to taste)
Instructions
1. Caramelizing Walnuts
Pour 2 tbsp of sugar into a dry frying pan. Start melting it over medium-high heat, shaking the pan gently. Once the sugar has dissolved, stir in 1 tsp of butter and the nuts. Mix them well to coat everything in the caramel. Pour the hot nuts onto a sheet of parchment paper and let them cool down to create crunchy caramelized walnuts for your salad.
2. Preparing the Quinoa
Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions, then drain and let it cool completely.
3. Making the Sweet Mustard Dressing
To make the dressing, simply combine all the ingredients—olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, herbs, salt, and pepper—in a jar. Screw the lid on tight and shake well until everything is fully emulsified. Just like that, it’s ready to go.
4. Assembling the Apple Quinoa Salad
Now it’s time to assemble. Start by spreading the fresh spinach or your chosen greens on a plate. Arrange the sliced apple and cooked quinoa over the greens. Tear the soft goat cheese into bite-sized pieces and scatter them across the plate. Finally, top it off with the walnuts and vibrant pomegranate seeds (we like to make it look pretty! 😂). Drizzle generously with the homemade dressing, and your beautiful salad is ready to serve.
