Arugula and Quinoa Salad

This Arugula and Quinoa Salad with sliced almonds and dried cranberries is a hearty, satisfying, healthy salad. Enjoy it as a main course or as a side dish. It’s elegant enough for special occasions yet simple and rustic enough for any weeknight dinner.

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Are you craving a refreshing and nutritious salad that’s both satisfying and bursting with flavor? Look no further than our delightful Arugula Quinoa Salad recipe, with sliced almonds and dried cranberries!

This vibrant dish combines the peppery kick of fluffy arugula with the wholesome goodness of protein-packed quinoa, creating a perfect balance of textures and tastes.

Get ready to indulge in a symphony of flavors as the nutty crunch of almonds and the sweet tartness of dried cranberries elevate this salad to a whole new level of culinary bliss.

Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy lunch, a vibrant side dish, or a hearty salad for dinner, this is the perfect salad. With minimal preparation and a burst of delicious flavors, this recipe is sure to become a staple in your repertoire of healthy and satisfying meals.

🌟 Why this recipe works

Once you make this healthy salad recipe, you’ll want to make it over and over again!

• Easy – The steps to making this quinoa arugula salad recipe are truly easy enough for any home cook to make.
• Fast – With little prep work, you can toss together this delicious and easy salad in about 15 minutes.
• Versatile – You can easily substitute or add ingredients to suite your tastebuds.
• Plant-based protein – It’s a hearty salad packed with protein thanks to quinoa.
• Can fit a variety of diets – This easy salad recipe is vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30.
• Delicious dressing – The tanginess of the vinaigrette complements the peppery arugula, while the sweetness adds a delightful contrast to the nutty quinoa, sliced almonds, and dried cranberries.

🛒 Ingredient notes

You only need a few basic salad ingredients to make this vegan salad. These are simple ingredients you can find in any local grocery store.

• Quinoa – You can use white quinoa, red quinoa, or black quinoa, but because white quinoa is the least bitter of the three, that’s what I tend to use. White quinoa is also usually the most common type of quinoa found in most local grocery stores. You could also use tri-colored quinoa.
• Arugula – Peppery arugula adds a more interesting layer of crunchy greens. I like to use baby arugula.
• Almonds – Sliced almonds add a delicious crunch to every bite. You can also use crushed almonds or slivered almonds.
• Dried cranberries – These add a tart flavor as well as a little sweetness to the salad.

For the Dressing:

• Olive oil – use your favorite extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor
• Dijon mustard – love the tangy flavors Dijon mustard adds. You can substitute regular yellow mustard if you prefer.
• Lemon zest & lemon juice – for the perfect balance of acidity
• Apple cider vinegar – for a bit of tang
• Salt & pepper – use kosher salt and freshly cracked or ground black pepper for the best results

Other optional ingredients you can add to this arugula quinoa salad or use as substitutes:

• Instead of almonds, you could substitute pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts.
• Substitute sweet golden raisins or dried apricots for the dried cranberries.
• Kalamata olives or green olives
• Feta cheese
• Red onion
• sunflower seeds or pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for extra crunch
• Chia seeds, hemp seeds, or flaxseed for added nutritional value

✅ Step-by-step instructions

The full list of ingredients and detailed instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. But here are step-by-step photos to help show you how easy it is to make this favorite salad!

Start by cooking a cup of quinoa (uncooked quinoa) in a large pot of boiling water, according to package directions.

1. Add the salad dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until smooth.
2. Place arugula leaves in a large salad bowl, then top with the cooked quinoa.

3. Drizzle the salad dressing over the quinoa and arugula.

4. Toss together until the arugula is coated with the dressing.

5. Toss in the almonds and dried cranberries.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

🍽 Serving ideas

You can serve this slightly warm, or as a cold quinoa salad.

As a starter salad or side dish, serve it with an equally hearty main course. It would be absolutely delicious with rigatoni alla vodka, Tuscan shrimp gnocchi, or air fryer filet mignon.

Serving this as an entree salad for lunch or a lighter dinner? Serve it with our salt and pepper wings or air fryer garlic bread.

In a soup and salad mood? Pair this salad with soup like our Instant Pot Chicken Stew, Chicken Minestrone, or our Instant Pot Vegan African Peanut Stew.

🍷 🥂 Wine pairings

Most people automatically pair any salad with a white wine. But we’re not most people, you and I.

This arugula quinoa salad is a hearty dish that can stand up to a red wine. The peppery quality of the arugula would actually pair deliciously with a red wine that has some peppery notes. Think a Carmenere or a Tempranillo.

🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment

Ready to make this recipe? Here are the kitchen tools and equipment you’ll need:

• Pot – You’ll need a large pot to cook the quinoa.
• Bowls – Use a small bowl to combine the salad dressing ingredients. Then you will need a large bowl to serve the salad.
• Whisk – Use a sturdy whisk to combine the salad dressing ingredients.