Honey Mustard Quinoa Apple Salad (Printable)
Fluffy quinoa, 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 chopped celery
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 (gluten-free flour may be substituted)
17 - 1/3 cup neutral oil, for frying
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa, water, and fine sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff grains with a fork and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Toss thinly sliced shallot rings in flour, shaking off any excess coating. Heat neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry shallots in small batches until golden brown and crisp, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain and sprinkle lightly with salt.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, and apple cider vinegar until smooth. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking continuously to form a well-emulsified dressing. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, diced apples, baby spinach, chopped celery, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and fresh parsley. Drizzle the honey mustard dressing over the top and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Divide the salad among serving plates and top each portion with a generous sprinkle of crispy fried shallots. Serve immediately to maintain optimal crunch and freshness.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The honey mustard dressing hits that sweet tart balance that makes everything it touches taste better.
- Crispy shallots on top of anything feel like a small luxury you did not know you needed.
02 -
- Let the quinoa cool completely before assembling or the spinach will wilt into a sad mess.
- Do not walk away from the shallots while frying because they go from golden to burnt in seconds.
03 -
- Dice the apples last minute and toss them with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning.
- A light hand with the flour on the shallots is the secret to shatteringly crisp results.