Pear and Spice Toasted Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)
Nutty toasted quinoa mingles with sweet pears, warm spices, and fresh vegetables in a tangy maple-mustard dressing.
# Ingredient List:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
→ Fruit
03 - 2 ripe pears, cored and diced
→ Vegetables
04 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
05 - 1/2 cup baby spinach, chopped
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Nuts & Seeds
07 - 1/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
→ Spices & Seasonings
08 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 tsp ground allspice
10 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
→ Dressing
12 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
13 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
# How to Make It:
01 - In a dry saucepan over medium heat, toast quinoa for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it smells nutty and begins to pop.
02 - Add water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let cool.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and black pepper to form the dressing.
04 - In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, pears, red onion, spinach, parsley, and nuts.
05 - Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
06 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The toasted quinoa adds such depth of flavor, you'll wonder why you never did it before
- It hits that perfect balance between sweet fruit and warming spices
- Everything comes together in under an hour but tastes like you fussed over it
02 -
- Hot quinoa will wilt the spinach and make the dressing separate, so patience during cooling is essential
- The spices can taste strong at first but mellow beautifully after the salad sits for a bit
03 -
- Rinse quinoa thoroughly until the water runs clear to remove any bitter coating
- Taste a pear before adding it, adjusting the honey in the dressing if needed