Warm Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa, Fennel, Shallots, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Feta, & more
Let’s take this gorgeous produce and cook up a fabulous meal, shall we?
Have you tried this crispy quinoa salad topper trend? I have to say – it’s incredible. You simply roast the quinoa in a single layer in the oven at high heat with a little extra oil, salt, and cayenne after cooking the quinoa, and you have crispy, delicious crunchy quinoa to add to soups, salads, & more!
Warm Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa
This warm, nourishing salad is made from fennel, kale, and cabbage, and topped with crispy quinoa, toasted pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, and a deliciously simple lemon vinaigrette. A true winner!
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1/2 head of purple cabbage, chopped and diced (or ~4 cups)
- 1 fennel bulb, chopped and diced, reserve tops for optional garnish
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 8 cups dinosaur kale, chopped (can also use any variety)
- 1 package Love Beets precooked beets (can omit)
- up to 1 tsp salt
- 2 2/3 cup bone broth or vegetable broth
- 1 1/3 cup quinoa
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 TBSP olive oil, sprinkle of sea salt, and red pepper flakes for toasting seeds
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
Vinaigrette:
- 2 TSBP olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 garlic glove, finely minced (can also sub garlic powder)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat broth in saucepan until boiling. Then add quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes.
- While quinoa cooks, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Chop cabbage, fennel, and shallots and add to a large baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with 1 TBSP olive oil. Add to oven to roast for 15 minutes.
- Chop kale and beets and set aside. Once vegetables roast for ~15 minutes, add kale and beets and drizzle with additional sprinkle of salt. Place back in oven for 6-7 minutes or so.
- Next, once quinoa is done cooking, add to a large baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne if you like a kick. Roast in top part of oven for 30 minutes, stirring halfway.
- While everything is cooking, add your pumpkin seeds, oil, salt, and red pepper flakes to a pan and toast for a few minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Set aside.
- Lastly, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl.
- Once all ingredients have cooked and cooled, assemble among 4 servings. Add veggies to a plate, top with crispy quinoa, toasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of dressing, crumbled feta, and tops of fennel for garnish. Bon Apetit!
I hope you enjoy this warm kale salad with crispy quinoa as much as I did!
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