This Honey Mustard Quinoa Apple Salad with Crispy Shallots is the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and crunchy in every single bite. It’s a hearty, wholesome meal that feels both nourishing and incredibly special, making it one of my favorite honey mustard recipes.
What Makes This Apple Salad So Special
- Balance of Flavors: The sweet apple, tangy dressing, peppery arugula, and savory Parmesan create a perfectly balanced bite.
- Wonderful Textures: From the fluffy quinoa to the crisp apple and the crunchy pumpkin seeds and shallots, this salad is a delight to eat.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prep the quinoa and dressing ahead of time, making assembly quick and easy for a weeknight dinner or lunch.
- Versatile and Customizable: Feel free to add other ingredients like grilled chicken, chickpeas, or different nuts to make it your own.
What to Gather for Your Salad
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 1 apple (like Honeycrisp or Fuji), thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan
- 1/2 cup crispy shallots (store-bought or homemade)
For that Lovely Honey Mustard Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
A Couple of Tools That Always Help Me
My Trusty Large Mixing Bowl
A good, wide mixing bowl is a must for tossing everything together without making a mess of the counter.
A Simple Small Whisk
I find a small whisk is perfect for emulsifying the honey mustard vinaigrette until it’s perfectly smooth and creamy.
Creating Your Salad, Step by Step
Step 1: A Gentle Simmer for Fluffy Quinoa
Add your rinsed quinoa, water, and salt to a medium saucepan. Bring it all to a boil, then immediately lower the heat, pop the lid on, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all that water has been absorbed. Once it’s done, take it off the heat and gently fluff it with a fork. It’s so important to let the quinoa cool down completely before you mix it with the greens!
Step 2: Whisking Up the Golden Dressing
While the quinoa is cooling, you can whip up the simple honey mustard dressing. In a small bowl or a jar with a lid, just whisk together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Keep whisking until it’s lovely and smooth. This is the little touch of magic that brings everything together.
Step 3: Bringing the Fresh Ingredients Together
In your largest mixing bowl, gently combine the completely cooled quinoa, fresh baby arugula, crisp apple slices, pumpkin seeds, and shaved Parmesan. I love seeing all the colors and textures come together at this stage, it just looks so wholesome and inviting.
Step 4: Dressing the Salad with a Light Hand
Slowly drizzle that beautiful honey mustard dressing over your salad. Use a light touch here, tossing gently with a pair of tongs until everything is just coated. You don’t want to oversaturate those lovely greens.
Step 5: The All-Important Crispy Finish
Right before you serve it, sprinkle the crispy shallots over the top. This is the final, crucial step! Adding them at the last minute ensures they stay perfectly crunchy, giving the apple salad that wonderful finishing touch.
Simple Ideas to Make It Your Own
- Maple Vinaigrette: For a vegan-friendly version or just a different flavor profile, you can easily swap the honey in the dressing for an equal amount of pure maple syrup.
- Boost the Greens: Feel free to add more nutrient-dense greens like spinach or kale to the arugula for an extra boost of vitamins.
- Lean Protein: To make this a more substantial meal, add a cup of chickpeas or some grilled chicken breast.
How Our Family Loves to Enjoy This Salad
- With Grilled Chicken: This salad is the perfect companion to simple grilled chicken or fish. It makes for a light yet completely satisfying supper on a warm evening.
- A Perfect Lunch: I love to pack the components of this salad separately for lunch. It’s so much more exciting than a simple sandwich and keeps me energized all afternoon.
- As a Light Starter: Serve smaller portions in little bowls as a beautiful and refreshing start to a dinner party.
A Few Little Tips from My Kitchen
- Don’t Skip the Rinse: Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin that can taste bitter. Always give it a good rinse in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water before cooking.
- Patience with the Quinoa: Adding warm quinoa to the arugula will cause it to wilt instantly. Patience is key here; let the quinoa cool to at least room temperature.
- Dress Just Before Serving: If you’re not serving the salad right away, wait to add the dressing. Tossing it too early will make the arugula and crispy shallots soggy.
How to Keep It Fresh for Later
For the best results, it’s best to store the components separately. Keep the cooked and cooled quinoa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The dressing can be stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week. The other ingredients are best prepared just before serving.
From My Kitchen to Yours
This salad is more than just a meal; it’s a bowl full of happy textures and bright flavors that reminds me of my sister’s warm smile. I hope that when you make it, you’ll share it with someone you love and create your own sweet memories. Food, for me, is always about the love we put into it and the people we share it with.
You Might Be Wondering…
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Absolutely! The best way to do this is to cook the quinoa and mix the dressing ahead of time, storing them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat, just assemble the salad with the fresh ingredients and toss with the dressing.
What if I want to use a different cheese?
Of course. While I love the salty bite of Parmesan, this recipe is wonderful as an Apple Cheddar Quinoa Salad, too. A sharp white cheddar would be a delicious substitute. Crumbled feta or goat cheese would also work beautifully.
I don’t have any pumpkin seeds, what can I use?
No problem at all! You can substitute them with toasted sliced almonds, chopped pecans, or sunflower seeds for that lovely crunch. Use whatever you have in your pantry.
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Honey Mustard Quinoa Apple Salad with Crispy Shallots
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Honey Mustard Quinoa Apple Salad with Crispy Shallots is the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and crunchy in every bite. A wholesome, nourishing meal that’s incredibly satisfying and simple to make.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 1 apple (Honeycrisp or Fuji), thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan
- 1/2 cup crispy shallots (store-bought or homemade)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add rinsed quinoa, water, and salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cool completely.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, arugula, apple slices, pumpkin seeds, and Parmesan.
- Drizzle the honey mustard dressing over the salad. Toss gently with tongs to coat.
- Sprinkle crispy shallots on top just before serving for the perfect crunch.
Notes
Let quinoa cool completely before mixing to avoid wilting the greens. Add crispy shallots only before serving to keep them crunchy. Store components separately for freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 6mg
Keywords: honey mustard, quinoa, apple salad, crispy shallots, healthy lunch