Honey Mustard Quinoa Apple Salad (Printer-friendly)
Fluffy quinoa meets crisp apples and tangy honey mustard dressing, topped with crunchy fried shallots.
# What You'll Need:
→ Quinoa
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Salad
04 - 2 crisp apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), diced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach, packed
06 - 1/2 cup celery, chopped
07 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries
08 - 1/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Honey Mustard Dressing
10 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
11 - 2 tablespoons honey
12 - 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
13 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Crispy Shallots
15 - 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
16 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour if needed)
17 - 1/3 cup neutral oil, for frying
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool completely.
02 - Toss the sliced shallot rings in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the shallots in batches until golden brown and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and sprinkle lightly with salt.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well emulsified.
04 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, diced apples, baby spinach, chopped celery, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and fresh parsley. Drizzle with the honey mustard dressing and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Divide the salad among plates and top each serving with a generous sprinkle of crispy shallots. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The honey mustard dressing hits that sweet tangy balance that makes everything taste like a celebration.
- Crispy shallots on top turn a simple salad into something you would happily serve at a dinner party.
02 -
- Frying shallots too dark will make them bitter, so pull them from the oil when they are just barely golden because they keep cooking on the paper towels.
- Letting the quinoa cool completely before assembling prevents the spinach from wilting into a sad mess.
03 -
- The shallots will crisp up more as they cool, so resist the urge to fry them until they look perfectly crunchy in the pan.
- Massaging the dressing into the quinoa with your hands before adding the delicate ingredients coats every grain and makes the salad taste seasoned throughout.