The most delicious Kale Quinoa Salad packed full of color, healthy fats and antioxidants! This superfood salad had plenty of vibrant fresh vegetables, creamy feta cheese, avocado and a super simple soy lime dressing!
Y’all know I love my salads jam packed with colors, flavors, and textures.
I mean, why settle for lettuce and tomatoes when you could have kale, quinoa, cranberries, avocado, bell peppers, almonds, cucumbers, and feta cheese? And a sweet soy lime vinaigrette to finish it off?
It’s just so delicious and super easy to make, I’m talking no more than 10 minutes and you’ve got yourself an incredibly healthy and vibrant salad perfect for lunch or dinner!
The Ingredients – Why this Salad is Good for You
I first had this superfood salad – or a version of it – a few months ago on a lunch date with my husband to a local deli that’s legendary for its gigantic sandwiches, house-cured pickles, and delicious matzah ball soup.
But the little known secret about this Texas-sized deli is that their salads are just as good as their over-the-top sandwiches.
And – in the case of this Kale Quinoa Salad – super healthy too! Here’s why it’s good for you;
- Cancer fighting cruciferous veggies (kale)
- Fiber for prebiotics and gut health (all those veggies!)
- Whole grains for sustained energy (quinoa)
- Monounsaturated fats for heart health (avocado)
- Vitamins C and E for antioxidant activity (kale, bell peppers, almonds)
- Resveratrol, carotenoids, quercetin, anthocyanins, and other disease fighting phytochemicals (cranberries, kale, bell peppers)
How to Make Kale Quinoa Salad with Soy Lime Dressing
Prepare all the veggies and put all salad ingredients except the quinoa in a large bowl.
Next, make the dressing by mixing everything together in a separate bowl, set aside.
Toss the salad ingredients together then pour over the dressing.
Add the quinoa and toss again until thoroughly combined, serve straight away or leave to marinate for longer.
Can I Prepare this Salad in Advance?
Yes! Kale is quite a hardy vegetable compared to regular salad leaves which wilt very easily.
You can prepare this salad 1-2 hours in advance or even longer if you don’t mind losing some texture from the kale.
If you want to make this the day before then I recommend mixing all ingredients together apart from the kale and add that later on.
Variations and How to Adapt this Recipe
- No quinoa? Couscous or wild rice would be a great alternative.
- Why not add some grilled or leftover roast chicken for extra protein.
- You can swap the almonds for walnuts, pine nuts, cashews or whatever nuts you like.
- You can swap the feta for a creamy goat cheese or even cubes of mozzarella.
- Why not try adding in some fresh apple slices for added crunch and sweetness.
- Coconut aminos are a great substitute for the Tamari soy sauce if you need a soy free version.
Top Tips for Making Kale Quinoa Salad
- This salad is not only delicious as it is but you can serve it as a side dish to meats or fish.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 1-2 days, just give it all a good stir before eating.
- This salad is so easy to adapt with your favorite veggies, fruit, and nuts.
- I add the quinoa last as it can soak up a lot of dressing before it has a chance to coat the other ingredients.
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More Delicious Salads You Might Like
- Fig & Feta Salad
- Classic Caesar Salad
- Blue Cheese Salad with Bacon & Avocado
- Kale and Brussels Sprouts Super Salad
Kale Quinoa Salad with Sweet Soy Lime Dressing
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 Large head curly leaf kale stems removed and finely chopped
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 Red bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 Large cucumber seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup purple onion finely chopped
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 large avocado peeled, pitted, and chopped
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta not pictured, but a great addition!
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice about 2 limes
- 2/3 cup organic Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 3/4 cup raw honey
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil or avocado oil
- 2 generous pinches cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa (1/2 cup dry) if needed.
- Toss the salad - Place all salad ingredients except quinoa in a large bowl. I reserve some of the avocado, feta, cranberries, and almonds for sprinkling on top, but you can just mix them all in at once if you want too.
- Prepare dressing - whisk all ingredients together and pour over salad, stirring well to coat the kale. It's ideal to mix the salad and dressing about 30 minutes before serving so the kale has time to absorb some of the dressing. But that's not necessary if you're in a rush.
Notes
- This salad is not only delicious as it is but you can serve it as a side dish to meats or fish.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 1-2 days, just give it all a good stir before eating.
- This salad is so easy to adapt with your favorite veggies, fruit, and nuts.
- I add the quinoa last as it can soak up a lot of dressing before it has a chance to coat the other ingredients.
You have given me a lot of inspiration and ideas for my next lunch or dinner. I like how you described the taste and texture of the salad and shared some health benefits of the ingredients. Your photos are amazing and make me want to try your recipe right away.
Enjoy, Supraja!
Love the many yummy flavors and textures in this salad! Love the soy lime dressing as well – bet that adds a lot of flavors!
I’ve been trying to eat more kale and quinoa lately so this recipe was perfect for me! I love the creamy addition of avocado!
How colorful and refreshing is this salad recipe. I will soon try this for my family.
What a great salad for fall! I love the addition of the quinoa and cranberry for lots of flavor and nutrients. Such a great recipe -will make again.
Glad to hear you liked it, Julie – thanks for the 5 star review!
wow! This looks so yummy and fresh. Cant wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
WOW, this recipe is everything! the combinations and flavours put together in this recipe make me drool so bad. I love kale and quinoa put together with cranberry and lime dressing, its such a creative combo!
This looks like the perfect salad recipe for fall and cranberry and kale makes such a beautiful combination!
Such a delicious salad packed with so many health benefits. I especially love the flavors of the dressing!
Oh, I love this kale salad recipe, it’s delicious and healthy. I am going to make this for our dinner tonight, thank you!