Warm quinoa salad with spinach, apple, and walnuts is the recipe I make the first week apple season hits. Hot quinoa straight off the stove wilts the baby spinach just enough to tame its bite, while the diced apple stays crisp and sweet. Toasted walnuts run through every forkful — that step is not optional.
A Cozy Bowl of Wholesome Goodness
Looking for a meal that’s both incredibly satisfying and packed with nourishing ingredients? This Warm Quinoa Salad is your answer! It’s a beautiful dance of textures and flavors—fluffy quinoa, crunchy toasted walnuts, sweet, crisp apple, and tender spinach, all brought together in one simple skillet. Perfect for a light lunch, a hearty side, or a delicious plant-based main, this dish is a testament to how simple ingredients can create something truly special. Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite go-to recipe!
Ingredients
• 1½ cups / 276g (9.7 oz) quinoa
• 3 cups / 720ml vegetable broth
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons / 30ml (1 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 scallions, minced
• ½ cup / 60g (2.12 oz) walnut pieces
• 1 (10-ounce) / 283g (10 oz) package fresh baby spinach
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium apple, halved, cored, and diced
Instructions
1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water. This crucial step removes its natural bitter coating. Drain well.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low, season with salt if your broth is unsalted, and stir in the rinsed quinoa.
3. Cover the saucepan and let it simmer gently until all the broth has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside.
4. While the quinoa is simmering, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced scallions and walnut pieces, sautéing until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the entire package of fresh baby spinach to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook until the spinach has just wilted, which should take 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the diced apple and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the apple to soften slightly but retain a bit of its crispness.
7. Add the cooked, fluffed quinoa to the skillet with the spinach and apple mixture. Stir everything together gently to combine.
8. Taste the final dish and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutritional Information
• Serves: 4 | Calories: 365 kcal | Protein: 12g (0.42 oz) | Carbohydrates: 45g (1.59 oz) | Fat: 18g (0.63 oz) | Fiber: 9g (0.32 oz) (Note: Values are estimates and may vary based on specific used.)
Pro Tips
• Pro-Tips for the Perfect Quinoa Salad
• For the best texture, choose a crisp, firm apple variety like Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji. They hold their shape well when cooked and provide a delightful sweet-tart crunch.
• To make this a more substantial main course, add a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas or some crumbled feta cheese (if not vegan) when you add the cooked quinoa.
• If your skillet isn’t large enough to hold all the spinach, you can wilt it separately in a covered, microwave-safe bowl for 1-2 minutes before adding it to the skillet.
FAQ
Q: How can I add more protein to this vegetarian quinoa salad
A: This salad already contains 12g (0.42 oz) of protein per serving from the quinoa and walnuts. To easily boost it further, stir in one 15-ounce can of rinsed and drained chickpeas or edamame along with the cooked quinoa for a substantial, high-protein plant-based meal.
Q: Is this warm quinoa salad recipe vegan
A: Yes, this recipe is easily made vegan. Simply ensure you are using a 100% vegetable-based broth. The core ingredients—quinoa, spinach, apple, walnuts, and olive oil—are all naturally vegan. Avoid non-vegan additions like feta cheese.
Q: Can I meal prep this quinoa salad for the week
A: Absolutely! This salad holds up well for meal prep. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can enjoy it cold straight from the fridge or gently reheat it in a skillet or microwave for a quick and wholesome lunch.
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Warm Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Apple & Walnuts
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water. This crucial step removes its natural bitter coating.
- Drain well.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a rolling boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, season with salt if your broth is unsalted, and stir in the rinsed quinoa.
- Cover the saucepan and let it simmer gently until all the broth has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Once cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside.
- While the quinoa is simmering, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the minced scallions and walnut pieces, sautéing until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
- Add the entire package of fresh baby spinach to the skillet.
- Season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook until the spinach has just wilted, which should take 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the diced apple and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the apple to soften slightly but retain a bit of its crispness.
- Add the cooked, fluffed quinoa to the skillet with the spinach and apple mixture.
- Stir everything together gently to combine.
- Taste the final dish and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
