Quinoa and Broccoli Spoon Salad

By Sohla El-Waylly

Updated January 21, 2026

  • Two light bowls filled with broccoli, quinoa, apples and nuts are photographed from overhead.
    David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
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Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(7,133)
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

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed

  • 1 lemon

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 large bunch broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds)

  • 1 medium tart and crisp apple

  • 4 ounces sharp Cheddar

  • ¾ cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped

  • ½ cup dried cranberries

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

51 grams carbs; 19 milligrams cholesterol; 455 calories; 12 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 25 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 600 milligrams sodium; 14 grams protein; 21 grams sugar

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
7,133 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.

Madeline

This makes an absurd amount of food, FYI.

Totoro

I made the recipe exactly as is. My teenagers all consumed it without complaint. A winner! The one thing I might add is I thought it tasted the best on the first day. On the second day the individual ingredients became indistinguishable taste wise.

Chrissy

We love this broccoli salad so much. We make it almost exactly as directed (swap raisins for cranberries) and it is perfect.

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