Herbed Quinoa And Pomegranate Salad
This quinoa salad is bursting with vibrant flavors and textures, making it a delightful dish to enjoy any time of the year. The nutty quinoa is complemented by the crunchy almonds, sweet pomegranate arils, and tart cranberries. Fresh mint and parsley add a pop of freshness, while the tangy dressing ties everything together beautifully. Easy to prepare and perfect for a light meal or a satisfying side dish, this salad is sure to become a favorite in your recipe collection.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ⅓ cup fresh pomegranate arils
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries or raisins
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced Kalamata olives (and/or ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about two medium lemons, juiced)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Several twists of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for a minute or two. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess water and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
- To toast the almonds: In a small skillet, heat the almonds over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and turning golden on the edges. Don’t let them burn! Transfer toasted almonds to your serving bowl to cool.
- To prepare the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
- Final assembly: In your serving bowl, in addition to the almonds, combine the quinoa, chopped mint and parsley, pomegranate, cranberries and olives or cheese. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Taste and mix in additional salt, pepper and/or olive oil if necessary. Serve right away or refrigerate for later.
Cook Time
20M
Prep Time
PT20M
Yield
4 to 8 servings
Nutrition
- Calories: 427 calories
- Sugar Content: 12.3 g
- Sodium Content: 349.7 mg
- Fat Content: 25.4 g
- Saturated Fat Content: 2.7 g
- Trans Fat Content: 0 g
- Carbohydrate Content: 45.7 g
- Fiber Content: 6.5 g
- Protein Content: 8.7 g
- Cholesterol Content: 0 mg
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