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    Home » Salads and Dips

    Protein Packed Kale Quinoa Salad (Vegan & GF)

    Published: Oct 18, 2018 by Stephanie 10 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read full disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Kale Quinoa Salad is chock-full of fresh veggies & quinoa. Then tossed with a creamy lemon tahini dressing. A great make ahead dish perfect for quick healthy lunches or dinner. Gluten Free, Vegan.

    kale, quinoa, broccoli, carrots, grape tomatoes, chickpeas in all bowl tossed with tahini dressing

     

    And let me just start by saying this is the perfect make ahead salad for numerous reasons.

    For one it is jam packed with a ton of nutritious ingredients that are both flavorful and satisfying.

    So not ONLY will this be a go to just for the simplicity of it all.....

    But this Kale Quinoa Salad is going keep you feeling fueled & energized till the next meal. 😉

    Which also makes it great as a quick n easy post workout snack!

    And quinoa by itself is such a super food that I'm always looking for ways to serve it.

     

    chopped kale, chickpeas, shredded carrots, chopped broccoli, chopped cherry tomatoes, and cooked quinoa in clear glass bowl.

    Some of my other favorite ways besides this Kale Quinoa Salad:

    Quinoa Tabouli Salad

    Cheesy Broccoli Mushroom Quinoa Bake 

    Mediterranean Quinoa Breakfast Casserole

     

    And yet another good reason to choose quinoa....

    It has a relatively low score on the glycemic index, which means it doesn't cause rapid spikes in blood sugar after consuming.

    Plus it's also a good source of fiber.... even more so than brown rice or yellow corn.

    This Kale Quinoa Salad is loaded with lots of fresh veggies and quinoa. Then dressed with a lemon tahini dressing. A great make ahead salad perfect for quick easy lunches and dinners. Vegan & Gluten Free.

    So besides all of these wonderful health benefits, quinoa cooks up in about 10 minutes.

    This makes it perfect when you're trying to get a healthy dinner on the table in a short amount of time.

    Recipe Tips for making the best Kale Quinoa Salad:

    Thoroughly rinse your quinoa before cooking.

    optional method:  I like to add quinoa to a bowl and cover with water..... then let sit at least 15 minutes and drain.

    Allow the quinoa to cool before adding to salad- it's easy to keep cooked quinoa readily available in the fridge for recipes.

    Make the salad early in the day as the flavors develop even more over time.

     

    Kale Quinoa Salad in a bowl with tahini dressing

     

     

    kale, quinoa, broccoli, carrots, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes in a bowl tossed with tahini dressing

     

     

     

     

    Kale Quinoa Salad in a bowl with tahini dressing

    And don't forget to comment below if you make this recipe... also please give it a star rating!

    Until next time-xoxo

     

    Stephanie

     

     

     

     

    📖 Recipe

    kale, quinoa, broccoli, carrots, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes in a bowl tossed with tahini dressing
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    5 from 7 votes

    Protein Packed Kale Quinoa Salad

    This salad is chock-full of veggies and quinoa and dressed with a creamy lemon tahini dressing. A great make ahead salad perfect for quick lunches and dinner.
    Course Dinner, Lunch, Main, Salads
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 12 minutes minutes
    Total Time 27 minutes minutes
    Servings 10
    Calories 282kcal
    Author Stephanie

    Ingredients

    Salad ingredients:

    • ½ cup uncooked quinoa
    • 4 cups chopped kale
    • 1 cup shredded carrots
    • 1 ½ cups chopped broccoli florets
    • 2 cups cooked chickpeas rinsed
    • 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

    Dressing ingredients:

    • ½ cup tahini
    • 4 tbsp. water
    • 2 tbsp. coconut aminos
    • 1 lemon juiced- about ¼ cup
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • dash of cayenne pepper
    • ½ tbsp. pure maple syrup
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • optional- pumpkin seeds
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Cook quinoa according to package directions.
    • Add quinoa and chopped veggies to large mixing bowl.
    • Meanwhile in small separate bowl combine tahini, water, coconut aminos, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne pepper & maple syrup and stir till combined.
    • Pour over salad and mix well.
    • Taste for salt & pepper.
    • Can serve immediately or store covered in the fridge for up to a week.

    Notes

    optional- Can sprinkle with raw pumpkin seeds.
    If dressing is a little thick can always thin out with a little more water.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 282kcal
    Tried this recipe?Mention @applesforcjblog or tag #applesforcj

     

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    Comments

    1. Natalie

      October 20, 2018 at 1:06 pm

      This salad includes all my favorite veggies and that tahini dressing sounds really flavorful. Love how healthy and delicious this salad sounds. I just must try it. It will be great for my office lunchbox.

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        October 20, 2018 at 1:24 pm

        Hope you get a chance to try it Natalie and YES it would be perfect for an office lunchbox 😀

        Reply
    2. Sonia

      October 19, 2018 at 3:54 pm

      This looks so incredibly delicious.. I love quinoa and am always looking for for new ways to incorporate it in my family diet! Yum

      Reply
    3. georgie

      October 19, 2018 at 3:06 pm

      I love protein packed salads! this looks so heart and healthy but filling at the same time! There is nothing worse than having a salad that leaves you hungry straight after!

      Reply
    4. Beth

      October 19, 2018 at 3:05 pm

      This looks so delicious! I can't wait to give it a try! I especially love the sound of the dressing!

      Reply
    5. Traci

      October 19, 2018 at 2:53 pm

      This is the perfect salad any time of the year! I love the simple ingredients and hassle-free assembly. Bonus for getting loads of protein and fiber in a vegetarian dish. Thanks for the recipe! Sharing!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        October 19, 2018 at 4:24 pm

        It's definitely hassle free and flavorful. Thanks for sharing Traci 😀

        Reply
    6. Gabi

      October 18, 2018 at 4:11 pm

      I just love fiber rich make ahead dishes. Your salad is a wonderful nutrient dense powerhouse and thanks to your refined dressing I'm convinced it tastes delicious:) It's amazing that you can store it for up to a week in your fridge, although I doubt it would survive that long in ours...

      Reply
    7. Tisha

      October 18, 2018 at 4:06 pm

      This is definitely a great protein packed salad!!!

      Reply
    8. Carissa Shaw

      October 18, 2018 at 3:49 pm

      I want a bowl of this right now! It looks so healthy and yummy. I'm sure it will be really filling too, which is awesome.

      Reply
    5 from 7 votes

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    Hi, I'm Stephanie! The Recipe developer and writer behind APPLES FOR CJ. Welcome to my Happy Place! Here you'll find a collection of my Best Gluten Free & Vegetarian recipes, along with some healthy lifestyle tips. Hope you'll stay awhile!

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