Saladsbluejeanchef
Quinoa and Spinach Salad with Roasted Cauliflower, Pecans, Avocado and Pomegranate Seeds
This quinoa and spinach salad is full of flavor and a great main course salad. It's a great reason to have cooked quinoa on hand all the time. You can roast the cauliflower in the air fryer, or on a sheet pan in the oven. The pecans, avocado and pomegranate each bring great flavor and texture to this delicious salad too.
👥 4 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 35 min⏳ Prep: 10 min🔥 Cook: 25 min👤 The Blue Jean Chef, Meredith Laurence📖 bluejeanchef
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- pan
- pot
- saucepan
- oven
- whisk
- bowl
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Make the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa in cold water in a saucepan, swirling it with your hand until any dry husks rise to the surface. Drain the quinoa as well as you can and then put the saucepan on the stovetop. Turn the heat to medium-high and dry the quinoa on the stovetop, shaking the pan regularly until you see the quinoa moving easily and can hear the seeds moving in the pan. Add the water, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce the heat to low or medium-low. You should just see a few bubbles, not a boil. Leave a lid on the pan askew (or if you have pour spouts on the saucepan, just put the lid on the pot). Simmer for ⏱️ 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and fluff the quinoa with a fork. If there is any liquid left in the bottom of the pot, place it back on the burner for another ⏱️ 3 minutes or so. Spread the cooked quinoa out on a sheet pan to cool.
quinoa, (red, white or multi-colored)1 cupsalt1 teaspoonsalt and pepper (to taste)
2
Pre-heat air fryer to 400°F. Toss the cauliflower florets in olive oil and season with salt and ground black pepper. Air-fry at 400ºF for ⏱️ 12 minutes, shaking the basket several times during the cooking process. (Cauliflower can also be roasted in a 450°F oven for ⏱️ 25-35 minutes.)
cauliflower florets (about ½ head of cauliflower)4 cupsolive oil½ cup extra virgin olive oilsalt1 teaspoonsalt and pepper (to taste)
3
While the cauliflower is air-frying, make the lemon vinaigrette. Whisk together the shallots, lemon juice, honey, fresh chives, salt and black pepper. Whisk in the olive oil to emulsify the dressing. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste and set the dressing aside.
Lemon Vinaigrettehoney1 tablespoonchopped fresh chives2 tablespoonsalt1 teaspoonsalt and pepper (to taste)olive oil½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4
When the cauliflower has finished cooking and the quinoa has cooled to room temperature, combine the cooled quinoa, pomegranate seeds, pecans, roasted cauliflower, avocado and fresh spinach in a large salad bowl. Add the dressing and toss everything together.
quinoa, (red, white or multi-colored)1 cupavocado (diced)1
Nutrition Facts
calories
612 kcal
fat Content
43 g
serving Size
1 serving
fiber Content
11 g
sugar Content
11 g
sodium Content
659 mg
protein Content
11 g
carbohydrate Content
50 g
saturated Fat Content
5 g
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