Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Roasted vegetable salad with sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, kale, and pomegranate.

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Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables

A Warm Quinoa Salad with roasted vegetables—sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, and kale—is the perfect cozy vegetarian salad. This hearty salad recipe is tossed with honey mustard vinaigrette and served with crunchy pecans and pomegranate for extra flavor and texture. Use maple syrup instead of honey for a simple vegan variation. This is a great salad option for the holidays! It serves 4 as an entree or 8 as a side dish.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Holiday, vegan option, Vegan, Gluten Free, vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 265kcal

Author Stephanie McKercher, RDN

Equipment

Knife and cutting board
Baking sheet
Mixing bowls

Ingredients

For the salad:

1 medium sweet potato , cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound Brussels sprouts , trimmed and halved (2 ¾ cups)
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup dry quinoa
4 cups chopped kale
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup pomegranate seeds

For the dressing:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon honey (see note 1)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic , minced
¼ teaspoon salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the salad:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit.
Transfer the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts to a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with grapeseed oil and sprinkle garlic powder and salt. Use your hands to mix the vegetables until they are evenly coated with oil and seasoning. Arrange the brussels sprouts so they are cut-side down on the baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and browned.
In the meantime, bring quinoa and 1 cup of water to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook covered for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and fluff quinoa with a fork.
While the quinoa is cooking, add the kale and extra virgin olive oil (if using) to a large mixing bowl and massage with your hands for 2 minutes, or until kale is tender.

Prepare the dressing:

In a separate small bowl, whisk extra virgin olive oil, cider vinegar, mustard, honey, thyme, garlic, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Assemble the salad:

Add the roasted vegetables, cooked quinoa, pecans, pomegranate, and dressing to the bowl of kale and toss until combined. Enjoy!

Notes

Honey/Vegan Option: Use regular honey or substitute hot honey for extra spicy flavor. Use maple syrup instead of honey to make this recipe vegan.
Storage: Serve immediately for the best results. If there are leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat in the microwave or serve at room temperature. Do not freeze.
Nutrition facts are estimates only and based on a side dish serving of ⅛ of the full recipe.

Nutrition