Harvest Quinoa Salad

A bowl of quinoa salad with sweet potatoes, apples, pecans, dried cranberries and topped with feta cheese and green onions

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Harvest quinoa salad is full of roasted sweet potatoes, diced apple, pecans, goat cheese and dried cranberries and finished off with balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a delicious side salad that’s perfect for fall.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 small sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 cup dry quinoa
⅔ cup small diced apple (such as Fuji or Gala)
½ cup chopped pecans (or sub walnuts)
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
⅓ cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400.
Peel and chop sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Place on a large baking sheet in an even layer. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to mix. Roast at 400 for 35 minutes, stirring after about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to package directions. Fluff with a fork and add to a large bowl. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
While the quinoa is cooking, prep the remaining ingredients.
Add the roasted sweet potatoes and remaining ingredients to the bowl with the quinoa. Toss to combine.
Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the quinoa mix and toss to mix everything together well. Season to taste with extra salt and black pepper.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Quinoa: This is a quinoa salad, so it uses quinoa. However, you could substitute another grain if you prefer. Farro, barley or brown rice would be good options.

Sweet potatoes: I roast the sweet potatoes with just olive oil, salt and pepper. However, you could add some cinnamon or a tiny bit of nutmeg to give the salad a bit more warmth if you’d like.

Apples: I recommend a sweet, crisp apple for this. Fuji or Gala are my go-to choices, but Honey Crisp or Cripps Pink would be great as well.

Nuts: I like chopped pecans but walnuts will work too. (Tip: buy the chopped kind at the grocery store. They are much cheaper than the whole, intact nuts.)

Goat cheese: I love the creaminess it brings to the salad. You could also try this with another soft cheese or feta cheese. Or leave it out if you need this to be dairy-free or vegan.

Optional toppings:

Sliced green onions
Chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley or basil)
Grated or shredded Parmesan
Cooked, crumbled bacon

Leftovers: Leftovers, once cooled, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave and add an extra splash of balsamic vinegar and/or olive oil, if needed, to brighten the flavors.

Nutrition

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