Kale Quinoa Salad
Kale quinoa salad is a nutritious side dish and, conveniently, a salad you can make ahead of time. Zippy lemon juice, silky onions and chewy currants combine with kale and pine nuts for a salad that's a hearty lunch or an easy potluck offering.
Ingredients
- 1 cupswater
- ½ cuptomato juice
- 1 cupquinoa, rinsed
- 1 smallonion, chopped
- 1 tablespoonolive oil
- 1garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes
- 6 cupscoarsely chopped fresh kale
- ¼ cuppine nuts
- ¼ cupdried currants
- 1 tablespoonbalsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoonlemon juice
- 1 teaspoongrated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoonsalt
- ⅛ teaspoonpepper
Directions
- 1
In a large saucepan, bring the water and tomato juice to a boil. Add the rinsed quinoa, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, until the liquid is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
- 2
In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onion until it's soft. Add the garlic and pepper flakes, and stir one minute longer, until aromatic. Stir in the kale and cook until it's wilted, three to four minutes. Gently stir in the pine nuts and currants, and continue cooking for about two minutes.
- 3
Pour in the vinegar and lemon juice, then add the lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cook one to two minutes longer, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the quinoa. Serve at room temperature.