Quinoa and Broccoli Spoon Salad
Updated Jan. 21, 2026
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 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
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Private Notes
Comments
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.
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.
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.
As the salad marinates, the broccoli releases some water and also “cooks” in the vinaigrette turning a nice green. I upped the pecans and cheese a bit but it’s excellent as is. I have also made this with a little bit of chipotle in adobo added to the dressing which adds a touch to Smokey heat.
Do NOT parboil the broccoli! If you’re concerned it won’t be tender or flavorful enough, just chop it smaller - into a dice. The commenters who have said that the broccoli “cooks” in the acid of the dressing are 100% correct - soften but remains toothy. This would not be nearly as delicious with cooked broccoli. Made it to the recipe, we devoured it (teenagers included) and ro-sham-bo’d to decide who would get leftovers for lunch tomorrow…
Make the recipe as written. It is that good!!!!! And the acids break down the broccoli so it's not too hard on your tummy. Tastes best on day 2. We leave out the cranberries because I don't like them... but other than that, we make it as written!