Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Brussels Sprouts
Healthy cranberry quinoa salad with brussels sprouts! Filled with crunchy almonds, dried cranberries and warm spices, it’s perfect for make-ahead meals or sides. Vegan & gluten free.
Allow me to introduce you to a recipe that has been making some serious rounds in my weekly meal planning rotation … this cranberry quinoa salad with brussels sprouts!
It’s healthy, it’s simple, it’s filled with veggies + warm dreamy spices.
Not to mention that it gets some major bonus points for the make-ahead factor – i.e. it somehow gets even better as it sits.
So, what’s exactly in this jazzy little number? Let’s discuss.
We have a flavorful quinoa base made with veggie broth, garlic and cozy spices like cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and cardamom.
There’s crunchy almonds for texture and delightful sweet and tart dried cranberries for a touch of pizazz and oomph. AND! It’s bulked up even further by the addition of tender, caramelized, roasted brussels sprouts.
It’s excellent all on its own or as a fantastic switch-things-up side.
Might I also suggest packaging this salad up in pre-portioned containers so you have lunch ready to go for at least several days? Waiting at the ready. Crunchy, flavorful, veggie-packed goodness!
How To Make Quinoa Salad with Cranberries
So, we start by roasting up some brussels sprouts with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
While the veggies are roasting, we’ll soften a shallot in a saucepan, before adding in some garlic and plenty of warm fragrant spices. Dried quinoa and broth are stirred in, and then the mixture simmers away until the quinoa is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
We toss the quinoa and brussels sprouts together in a large bowl, along with some juicy dried cranberries and crunchy raw almonds. It’s finished with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and your salad is served!
Tips & Tricks For This Cranberry Quinoa Salad
- First things first. Use your judgment when cutting up the brussels sprouts. You want them all to be about the same size so that they roast evenly in the oven. So you may need to halve, quarter or even just trim and leave whole.
- Additionally, I would encourage you to keep any of the little leaves that fall off the sprouts when cutting and add them to the baking sheet. They get so awesomely crispy and charred after roasting. Yum!
- Let’s talk substitutions. I personally love the combo of almonds + cranberries, but you could absolutely switch that up depending on what you have on hand. Walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, raisins, dried cherries – really anything will work.
- Along those lines, I think broccoli would make a great sub for the brussels sprouts if they just aren’t your thing.
- And finally, let’s talk serving. While this salad is fantastic all on its own, I like to serve with a protein of choice if making for dinner. Or, topped with some creamy dreamy sliced avocado.
How To Store
Let the salad cool to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge. It will keep like this for about four days.
Additional Quinoa Salad Recipes You Might Enjoy!
- Fall Quinoa Salad
- Summer Veggie Quinoa Salad
- Blueberry Quinoa Salad
- Kale and Quinoa Rainbow Salad
- Crunchy Broccoli Quinoa Salad
- Cucumber Quinoa Salad
- Strawberry Quinoa Balsamic Salad
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.
Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Brussels Sprouts
Healthy cranberry quinoa salad with brussels sprouts! Filled with crunchy almonds, dried cranberries and warm spices, it’s perfect for make-ahead meals or sides! Vegan & gluten free!
Ingredients
For the brussels sprouts:
- 1 ½ pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For the quinoa:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ½ cup raw almonds, chopped
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- thinly sliced green onion, for garnish
Instructions
For the brussels sprouts:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Add the brussels sprouts to a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread in an even layer.
- Bake for about 17 to 22 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until tender and starting to brown. Remove from the oven.
For the quinoa:
- Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. When hot, add in the shallot and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, until softened. Add in the garlic, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and cardamom and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Stir in the quinoa and broth. Bring the mixture just to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes, until the broth is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, then add to a large bowl.
- To the bowl, add the roasted brussels sprouts, the almonds, cranberries and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Taste and season with additional salt / pepper to make the flavors pop (I always add more salt). Serve garnished with some sliced green onion!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 341Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 392mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 7gSugar: 13gProtein: 10g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
This salad stopped me in my tracks when I saw it on IG today. The spices and ingredients sound so delicious and I’d love to eat it for lunch every day!
Thanks Marcie!!
I am loving all of the textures and flavors in this beautiful salad! I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t eaten enough brussels sprouts this year. I need to get on it before they’re gone!
Yes! You must!
Brussels sprout is my top favourite winter veggie! This is such a wonderful salad packed full of flavours and goodness from protein rich quinoa, healthy fat from nuts and nutritional cranberries.