Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Salad with Cranberries and Pecans
Servings 4 People
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 4 cups finely chopped broccoli (about 2 heads)*
- ½ bunch scallions, thinly sliced (about ¾ cup)
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- ½ cup dried cranberries or tart cherries chopped
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped**
- Black pepper
- **You want the broccoli to be chopped really small. You can use a blender or food processor to chop it for you. You could also use chopped up frozen broccoli.
- **The recipe has you soak the cranberries in hot water, which is a great tip to make dried fruit nice and plump and more juicy in salads.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 1 cup quinoa
- Toast then chop 1 cup pecans
- Finely chop 4 cups broccoli
- Thinly slice ½ bunch scallions (about ¾ cup)
- Grate 1 cup cheddar cheese
- Chop ½ cup dried cranberries or tart cherries
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the quinoa and 1 ½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 12 minutes or until cooked through and water has evaporated.
- Add the broccoli to a large bowl. Transfer the hot quinoa into the bowl and toss with the broccoli. Spread it out to let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Add cranberries to a heat-safe bowl and pour boiling water over top to cover. Let sit for at least 5 minutes to plump up, then drain.
- Once quinoa has cooled off, add in the cheese, soaked cranberries, lemon, oil, and salt and toss to combine. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
- Serve it up topped with plenty of pecans, black pepper, and a good drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, use a vegan cheddar alternative or skip the cheese and add an extra ½ teaspoon of salt and top with avocado chunks.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Squeeze some fresh lemon or a splash of apple cider vinegar and add a generous glug of olive oil to freshen it up.
- Eat it right out of the fridge or warm it up just so it’s barely warm.
- Top with plenty of pecans.
- Top with a fried egg or enjoy it with any other leftover protein.