This easy kale and quinoa salad with green goddess dressing is a super healthy recipe! This vegan salad is full of protein and healthy fats. Quinoa is the perfect base to a healthy salad as it is a higher protein grain superfood. Combined with kale, olives and cherry tomatoes, it makes a cravewothy Mediterranean meal. It has so much texture from the crunchy celery and the creamy avocado, citrus and arugula dressing is a flavor bomb!
What makes this the best Quinoa Salad Recipe
This summery kale and quinoa salad is the best! It is full of delicious and flavorful ingredients like tangy olives and garden fresh tomatoes. This salad has so much texture from the crunchy celery, red cabbage and carrots. Plus the dressing is to die for. It's made by blending arugula, avocado, citrus and vinegar and it's lick the bowl clean delicious.
Kale and Quinoa Salad Ingredients
The ingredient list for this recipe is short and humble. All of the components are available year round in most markets. If kale is hard to find, substitute green cabbage. If cherry tomatoes are not available, sub compari or vine ripe. Use any type of olive in this salad.
- lacinato kale
- celery
- carrot
- red cabbage
- cherry tomatoes
- green olives
- cooked and chilled quinoa
Green Goddess Dressing Ingredients
The avocado, citrus and arugula dressing really brings out the flavors in this Kale and Quinoa Salad. This dressing was inspired by the viral salad by Bakedbymelissa. Thanks Melissa! This dressing certainly elevates this kale and quinoa salad with it's Mediterranean flavors.
- arugula
- avocado
- lemon
- orange
- white balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
How to make Easy Kale and Quinoa Salad
This quinoa salad is very easy to make. Simply chop ingredients uniformly. Blend the green goddess dressing in a high speed blender until smooth, Then the salad and dressing are tossed in a bowl to combine!
- Prepare the quinoa according to the box. For a Cooking Quinoa Tutorial read this.
- Put chopped kale, diced celery, grated carrot, shredded red cabbage, quartered cherry tomatoes and halved green olives and cooked and cooled quinoa in a large bowl and set aside.
- To a high speed blender add arugula, peeled and pitted avocado, squeezed lemon and orange, white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Add finished dressing to to bowl of salad and mix well until all is combined.
More Healthy Quinoa Recipes
Easy Kale and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
for salad
- 2 cups quinoa cooked and chilled
- 1 cup lacinato kale chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 carrot peeled and grated
- 2 cups red cabbage shredded
- 10 cherry tomatoes quartered
- 10 green olives halved
for dressing
- 6 oz arugula
- 1 avocado peeled and seeded
- 1 lemon squeezed
- 1 orange squeezed
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ea black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the quinoa according to the box. When cooked set aside to cool. For a Cooking Quinoa Tutorial read this.
- Put chopped kale, diced celery, grated carrot, shredded red cabbage, quartered cherry tomatoes and halved green olives and cooked and cooled quinoa in a large bowl and set aside.
- To a high speed blender add arugula, peeled and pitted avocado, squeezed lemon and orange, white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Add finished dressing to to bowl of salad and mix well until all is combined.
Maripage
The salad is great. But...I made the Arugula dressing, and sampled a little bit when it was done. "Holy Mother!" is all I could mutter. Absolutely delicious.
I love food combinations that come together so nicely, and really give you a joyful food experience.
Thanks for this lovely culinary creation. I'm going to add this one to my favorites.
Sara Tercero
Oh my goodness Maripage thanks much. I really appreciate your thoughtful feedback and 5 stars!
Keri
This is ridiculously delicious! Another one hit right out of the ballpark.
Sara Tercero
Thanks so much for your valuable feedback and star rating Keri. I appreciate your trust and the time it took to write this review. So happy you like my recipes!