Quinoa and Broccoli Spoon Salad

By Sohla El-Waylly

Published Feb. 25, 2023

Quinoa and Broccoli Spoon Salad
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(6,367)
Comments
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This easy chopped salad fits loads of texture and flavor onto a spoon by combining finely chopped raw broccoli with chewy dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, fluffy quinoa and chunks of sharp Cheddar cheese. The mixture is tossed in a punchy mustard vinaigrette that soaks into the florets, only getting better as it sits. Feel free to substitute the quinoa for any grain, like brown rice, farro or buckwheat groats, though the cook time may vary. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings 
  • Kosher salt
  • 1cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 1lemon
  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2tablespoons honey
  • 2tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1large bunch broccoli (about 1½ pounds)
  • 1medium tart and crisp apple
  • 4ounces sharp Cheddar
  • ¾cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
  • ½cup dried cranberries
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

455 calories; 25 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 600 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a medium pot of water to a boil on high and season aggressively with salt. Add the quinoa, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer; cook until plump and tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve; rinse with cool water and drain well.

  2. Step 2

    While the quinoa cooks, finely grate the zest of the lemon into a large bowl then cut the lemon in half. Add the olive oil, mustard, honey and apple cider vinegar, plus the juice of ½ lemon; whisk together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  3. Step 3

    Peel the stem of the broccoli and trim off the dry end. Finely chop the entire broccoli and add to the dressing. Core the apple then finely chop the apple and the cheese; add to the broccoli and toss to combine.

  4. Step 4

    Add the cooked quinoa, nuts and cranberries and toss to combine. Taste and add more salt, pepper and lemon juice, as needed. Store, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
6,367 user ratings
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Comments

Sue

Although this salad sounds great (with the exception of the cheddar, which I cannot eat) raw broccoli is not appealing. I always briefly parboil chopped broccoli then plunge in ice water to stop the cooking if I plan to use it in a salad. Not only does this improve the flavor, it brightens the color to a very pretty and palatable bright green.

sally

A note on raw broccoli: Melissa Clark notes in her recipe for garlic broccoli salad with sesame dressing that the vinegar « cooks » the raw broccoli, kind of like happens with the fish in ceviche. I’ve tried it and it’s really good; it’s not like plain raw broccoli at all. I recommend that all the skeptics try it.

KB

The cheddar is what tipped the balance for me and convinced me to add this to this week's meal list! But of course it isn't 100% necessary--the recipe police won't come to your house and arrest you if you leave it out. Or maybe you could replace it with crumbled feta...that sounds pretty good too.

Delicious but does not keep well

This was so amazing and delicious when it was freshly prepared but it was not as good just a couple of hours later and did not keep well at all in the fridge. Would recommend to eat quickly or maybe make it but keep the dressing separate/i.e. don’t mix the dressing into the whole batch but just add the dressing to each serving as you go.

SambalBij

This salad delivered, and then some. Used what I had knocking around the fridge - super mature Gouda instead of cheddar, raisins instead of cranberries and Dutch mustard instead of Dijon. Turned out a straight up banger. Served it with hot olive bread, hummus and a fruit salad as a bit of a Saturday-picky-bits dinner. The whole family loved it - and that includes teenagers. This is gonna go in heavy rotation. Might try adding chickpeas or lentils as well next time.

Camille

So good! I made the amount of dressing called for, then did another half batch of dressing, then ended up doing yet another half batch. Next time I make, I plan on doubling dressing from the beginning. Secondly, I am glad I did not parboil the broccoli. Lastly... I'm the kind of person who doesn't necessarily care about adding cheese to a salad. But with this recipe, it made a big difference (in the best way)!!

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