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Broccoli Apple Quinoa Salad

Broccoli apple quinoa salad with fluffy quinoa, crisp-tender broccoli, and diced apples tossed in a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. This bright side dish is cooled, chilled, and re-tossed for even coating and fresh crunch.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

quinoa base
  • 1 cup quinoa Rinsed before cooking.
  • 2 cup water or broth Use water for lighter flavor, or broth for more savory depth.
  • 3 cup broccoli florets Cut small for even bites.
  • 2 apples Cored and diced.
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.33 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
  • 3 green onions Sliced.
  • 0.25 cup red onion Finely diced.
apple cider vinaigrette
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the quinoa
  1. Bring quinoa and water or broth to a boil in a covered pot, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Look for the liquid to absorb and the quinoa to become tender with visible spirals.
  2. Fluff the quinoa, then spread it onto a sheet pan to cool completely. The texture should look fluffy with no steam trapped in the grains.
Blanch the broccoli
  1. Blanch broccoli florets in boiling water for 2 minutes. It should turn bright green and be just tender when pierced.
  2. Shock the broccoli in ice water, then drain well. The florets should stop cooking immediately and stay crisp-tender.
Make the apple cider vinaigrette
  1. Whisk apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper together. Stir until the mixture looks uniform and glossy with no streaks of honey.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine cooled quinoa, blanched broccoli, diced apples, dried cranberries, seeds, green onions, and red onion in a large bowl. Fold until everything is evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to coat thoroughly. The quinoa should look lightly slicked rather than dry.
  3. Chill the salad for 15 minutes. You should see the flavors meld and the vinaigrette lightly cling to the quinoa and broccoli.
  4. Toss again before serving to re-distribute the dressing. Serve when the salad is cold and the broccoli still looks vivid green.

Notes

Cool the quinoa fully before mixing so it doesn’t wilt the broccoli or dissolve the vinaigrette coating. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; for best texture, re-toss after chilling. Freezing isn’t recommended because the broccoli and apple texture will soften. For a dairy-free swap, the vinaigrette is already dairy-free—just confirm your Dijon mustard contains no dairy ingredients if needed.