Crispy Quinoa & Roasted Vegetable Kale Salad

This salad is winter comfort in a bowl. Warm roasted root veggies, crispy quinoa, and a tangy balsamic dressing combine for a nourishing salad so tasty it’ll make you crave kale!

Bonus? It comes together in just 30 minutes when using pre-cooked grains. Let us show you how it’s done!

Kale, mushrooms, carrots, bell pepper, spices, quinoa, balsamic vinegar, coconut aminos, olive oil, tahini, almonds, and hemp seeds

In the spirit of keeping things COZY, this quinoa and kale salad begins with roasting veggies to add warmth and sweetness. We love bell pepper, carrots, onions, and beets for a vibrant array of colors and nutrients, but feel free to swap in your favorite root veggies!

Roasted carrots, beets, red bell pepper, and red onion on a baking sheet

Next comes leftover cooked quinoa and sliced shiitake mushrooms seasoned with coconut aminos for sweetness and depth. Baking in the oven makes the quinoa crispy (YUM, it’s a quinoa game-changer!), and the mushrooms become slightly caramelized.

Parchment-lined baking sheets of quinoa, mushrooms, and root veggies

While those are in the oven, we massage the kale with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, tahini, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. It adds so much flavor, doubles as a dressing, and helps turn normally fibrous kale into a tender, easier-to-digest green!

Massaging kale with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, tahini, salt, pepper, and garlic powder

All that’s left is adding the roasted veggies, quinoa, and mushrooms and garnishing with your choice of toppings. We love avocado for richness, toasted almonds (or other nuts/seeds) for crunch, and vegan parmesan cheese for saltiness.

Overhead shot of a platter of massaged kale, roasted veggies, and crispy quinoa

We hope you LOVE this roasted vegetable & quinoa kale salad! It’s:

Vibrant
Warming
Savory
Nourishing
Subtly spicy
& SO delicious!

It’s a satisfying meal on its own, or for extra protein, you can add Quick & Easy Crispy Tofu, Lemon & Herb Roasted Chicken, or Crispy Skin Salmon.

More delicious recipes using kale

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Close-up shot of a fork holding a bite of crispy quinoa and roasted vegetable kale salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 2 (Entrée servings)

Course Entree

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly No

Does it keep? 1 Day

ROASTED VEGGIES

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds (2 large carrots yield ~1/3 cup or 84 g)
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into uniform bite-size pieces (~1/2 inch) (1 pepper yields ~3/4 cup or 190 g)
1/2 cup sliced red onion (1/4-inch wide half circles)
1/2 cup diced beet (1/2-inch cubes // or sub sweet potato or more carrot)
1-2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil (enough to coat veggies well)
2 tsp dried Italian herb seasoning (e.g., oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, basil, sage)
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp each sea salt + black pepper

QUINOA + MUSHROOMS

1 cup cooked, cooled quinoa (or sub other grain of choice)
1 ⅓ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
1-2 tsp avocado or olive oil
2 Tbsp coconut aminos

SALAD + DRESSING

7 cups chopped kale (curly or dino)
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp tahini
1/8 tsp each sea salt + black pepper
1 dash garlic powder

FOR TOPPING optional but so good

1/2 ripe avocado, diced
1/4 cup slivered toasted almonds (or other nut / seed of choice, such as pepitas or pistachios)
1 Tbsp hemp seeds
Vegan Parmesan Cheese

If you haven’t already prepared your quinoa (or grain of choice), do so now on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. Let cool, then proceed to step 2. (Note: Time to cook grains is not included in total prep / cook time).
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line two small baking sheets with parchment paper.
To one baking sheet, add the chopped carrots, bell pepper, onion, and beet. Toss the vegetables with 2 Tbsp of oil (adjust if altering batch size), Italian herbs, red pepper flakes (optional), garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
To the second baking sheet, add the cooked, cooled quinoa and sliced shiitake mushrooms. Toss with 2 tsp of oil (adjust if altering batch size) and coconut aminos. Roast the veggies and quinoa for ~20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and golden brown and the quinoa is crispy. Toss as needed to ensure even cooking.
To your serving bowl or a mixing bowl, add chopped kale, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, tahini, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Massage for 1-2 minutes to combine and slightly tenderize the kale. Set aside.
To serve, top the kale salad with the crispy quinoa and mushrooms, roasted vegetables, and desired additional toppings, such as avocado, hemp seeds, toasted almonds, and vegan parmesan cheese (all optional).
Enjoy right away or store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, or 2-3 days if leaving out the avocado.

*For more protein, add additional hemp seeds or quinoa, pan-fried salmon, roasted chicken, or crispy tofu.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of olive oil and without optional ingredients.

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 465 Carbohydrates: 54.3 g Protein: 12.3 g Fat: 23.9 g Saturated Fat: 3.3 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 6.5 g Monounsaturated Fat: 12.7 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 733 mg Potassium: 1160 mg Fiber: 12.5 g Sugar: 18.9 g Vitamin A: 2076 IU Vitamin C: 154 mg Calcium: 316 mg Iron: 6.6 mg

Source link