This kale and quinoa salad is proof that a salad can actually fill you up. It’s hearty enough to be dinner, holds up beautifully as leftovers, and the homemade maple tahini dressing pulls the whole thing together.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
“I don’t know why I waited so long to try this salad. Sautéing the kale made it really tender, which was a nice contrast to the crunch of the pepitas and pistachios. I made it with tomatoes from my garden, salmon, honey goat cheese, and that fabulous maple tahini dressing. A+” – Victoria
As someone who’s developed over 70 main dish recipes for this website and has been cooking for myself (and now my family) for over 20 years, I pride myself on sharing recipes that have been thoroughly tested so readers can have a good experience in their kitchens. I’ve been making this quinoa kale salad since 2021, and it’s gone through a lot of tinkering along the way. I figured out that sautéing the kale instead of massaging it gives you a tender green that holds up for days in the fridge, learned that rough chopping the pistachios makes every bite work better, and landed on the ratio of grains to greens to crunchy bits that keeps this satisfying without turning into a grain bowl.
The base recipe is vegetarian, getting its protein from nuts, seeds, grains, and a little goat cheese. But this salad is a great canvas, and I’ve tested several add-ons over the years (my two favorites are down in the variations section). The real star, though, is the homemade maple tahini dressing. It’s quick to shake together and I want to put it on everything.
If you’ve written off salads as sad desk lunches, this one will change your mind. There’s enough texture going on to keep every bite interesting, and it’s the rare salad that’s just as good the next day. Whether you’ve gotten bored making the same thing over and over or you’re just looking for a new summer salad idea, give this one a shot!
Jump to:
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
- Why You’ll Love Quinoa Kale Salad Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- What Kind of Kale Is Best for This Salad?
- Step-By-Step Instructions
- Kale and Quinoa Salad Variations
- Storing Kale and Quinoa Salad
- FAQs for this Salad with Quinoa and Kale
- Love This Recipe? You Need to Try One of These Easy Lunch Recipes Next!
- Oh hey, did you make this one? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Kale and Quinoa Power Salad
Why You’ll Love Quinoa Kale Salad Recipe
A salad that eats like a meal. Between the hearty quinoa, tender sautéed kale, and all the nuts and seeds, this one actually keeps you full. Serve it as a light main or scale the portions down and it’s a great side dish alongside grilled proteins.
So much texture in every bite. The quinoa and kale are chewy, the pepitas and pistachios add crunch, the fresh veggies bring a bright pop, and the goat cheese makes it all creamy. Nothing about this salad is boring.
That maple tahini dressing. Sweet, savory, nutty, and quick to shake together in a jar… it’s not much of a secret that it’s kind of the star of the show it’s so good.
Great for meal prep. Kale holds up in a way that delicate greens just don’t, so this salad is still great the next day.
Easy to build on. The base recipe is vegetarian, but this salad is fabulous with protein add-ons like a filet of salmon or grilled chicken (more ideas in the variations section below).
Ingredients Needed
- Fresh Kale. A fresh bunch of curly kale is used for our base recipe, but I love it with dinosaur kale too. Through testing, we’ve found that cooking it gives you the best texture vs. using the massage method. For best results, tear or cut the leaves into small, bite-sized pieces after de-stemming so every forkful is easy to eat.
- Olive Oil. Used to sauté the kale leaves and help it steam down into a tender green.
- Salt and Pepper. Simple seasoning for the kale as it cooks, which also enhances the other flavors in the finished salad.
- Quinoa. Quinoa gives this salad its heartiness and chewy texture. I prefer tri-colored quinoa, but use whatever variety you enjoy best (more on the differences in the FAQ section below).
- Pistachios. Along with the pepitas, these are one of the reasons this salad is actually filling. I generally splurge on the pre-shelled ones to save time. Rough chop them before adding, because a whole pistachio is large compared to the other components and can be off-putting when everything comes together. If you miss one or two, don’t worry about it, but I find the smaller pieces to be more enjoyable.
- Pepitas. These pumpkin seeds add a great crunch that plays off the tender kale and quinoa. I like to use roasted and salted pepitas for extra flavor.
- Cherry Tomatoes. Halved cherry tomatoes bring brightness and a fresh pop against all the hearty, chewy elements. Grape tomatoes work just as well.
- Goat Cheese. Use your favorite variety of plain chevre. Use a fork to gently crumble it into your bowl. I recommend 1.5 to 2 ounces, but I’m not here to rain on your cheese parade if you “accidentally” crumble in a little extra.
- Maple Tahini Dressing. The star of the show and the thing readers comment about most. This quick and easy dressing is made up of tahini, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
What Kind of Kale Is Best for This Salad?
I use curly kale in the base recipe because it’s the kind most people know, is commonly found in grocery stores, and it holds its ruffled texture nicely when sautéed.
That said, dinosaur kale (also called dino kale, lacinato kale, or Tuscan kale) is a great swap and my personal favorite. It has flatter, darker leaves with a more tender bite and slightly less bitterness than curly kale. If you’re making a dino kale salad, the leaves cook down a bit faster, so start checking around the 4 minute mark instead of 5.
Whichever variety you use, wash, de-stem, and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces before cooking. Those thick center stems never soften up the way the leaves do.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Prepare quinoa: Prepare your quinoa per your package directions (every brand’s directions are slightly different)
Sauté the kale. While your quinoa cooks, sauté the kale with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat. Yes, the ingredient list really does say to use an entire bunch of kale! Greens wilt down to be so much smaller than you might think. I also recommend covering your skillet in between stirring to help steam the leaves. Since kale is such a hearty green, this helps you get a nice, tender wilted green.
Make the dressing and prep everything else. While the quinoa and kale cool a bit, get your maple tahini dressing ingredients together in a small jar, shake, and refrigerate until ready to use. Slice your cherry tomatoes, rough chop your pistachios, and have everything measured out and ready to go.
Make your salad. In a large bowl, stir your quinoa, kale, pistachios, pepitas, and tomatoes together to combine. Add in your crumbled goat cheese and stir lightly to distribute. Top with dressing (option to mix in if that’s your thing!).
Enjoy!
Kale and Quinoa Salad Variations
This salad is a great base for all kinds of add-ons. Here are the ones I’ve tested and love.
- Top with cooked salmon. For those who eat fish, a baked or grilled 4oz fillet on top is highly recommended. The richness of the salmon works really well against the maple tahini dressing, and it’s one of my favorite ways to serve this for dinner.
- Add elote-spiced grilled chicken and sweet corn. This is my newest favorite version and what I’ve been making a lot recently. We use our juicy grilled chicken recipe with an elote spice blend on it. Then stir in about a cup of cooked fresh sweet corn cut right off the cob. The smoky, citrusy spice plays really nicely with the maple tahini dressing. If you want to lean all the way in, swap the goat cheese for crumbled cotija.
- Add chickpeas. If you want to keep this vegetarian but bulk it up even more, stir in a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas. They add protein and fiber and soak up the dressing nicely. Roasting them first with a little olive oil and salt gives you an more texture contrast.
- Swap the grain. Farro or brown rice both work if you don’t have quinoa on hand. Farro in particular has a chewy texture that fits this salad well.
- Change up the cheese. Feta cheese is a great substitute for goat cheese if you prefer a saltier bite. Shaved parmesan works too.
- Swap the nuts. Pistachios are my go-to here, but sliced almonds or chopped pecans both work well. Almonds keep that crisp snap and are usually easier to find, while pecans bring a buttery richness that plays especially well with the maple in the dressing. Toasting them in a dry skillet for a few minutes first deepens the flavor.
- Add avocado. Sliced or cubed avocado adds creaminess and makes the salad even more filling. Add it right before serving so it stays fresh.
Storing Kale and Quinoa Salad
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. This salad is great to have for lunch the next day!
If you know ahead of time that you’ll be saving a portion, hold off on dressing it and add the maple tahini right before eating. This keeps the nuts and seeds crunchy.
FAQs for this Salad with Quinoa and Kale
Yes! As a big fan of meal prepping, there are a few things you can do in advance to make assembly quick. Cook the quinoa the night before so it’s already cooled and ready to go when you’re building the salad. If you bought shelled pistachios, you can rough chop those ahead too. The kale can be sautéed a day early as well, just store it separately in the fridge until you’re ready to toss everything together. And the maple tahini dressing keeps beautifully, so shake up a jar whenever it’s convenient.
I like tri-colored quinoa here, mostly because I think it’s pretty. Nutritionally, white, red, and black quinoa are all very similar. White quinoa is lighter, fluffier, and more mild. Red and black quinoa have a chewier, heartier texture, which makes them a nice fit for salads since they hold their shape well. I like having the mix of all three, but use whatever type you enjoy best.
You can absolutely use raw kale if that’s your preference, though I’d recommend massaging it with a little olive oil and salt first to soften the leaves. But sautéing is the way I’ve landed on after making this salad dozens of times. It gives you a much more tender green, takes the edge off any bitterness, and holds up better in the fridge for leftovers. Just five to eight minutes over medium heat, covering the pan between stirs so the leaves steam a bit.
Just leave out the goat cheese. You’ll still have plenty of texture and flavor from the nuts, seeds, and dressing. If you want something to fill that creamy, tangy role, a few spoonfuls of your favorite dairy free feta style crumbles work well, or add half an avocado sliced on top.
Love This Recipe? You Need to Try One of These Easy Lunch Recipes Next!
Oh hey, did you make this one? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Kale and Quinoa Power Salad
Ingredients
- 1 small head curly kale washed, de-stemmed, and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 C dry quinoa I use tri-colored
- ⅓ C pistachios shelled and rough chopped
- ⅓ C pepitas I prefer roasted and salted
- 6 oz cherry tomatoes halved
- 1.5-2 oz goat cheese crumbled
- Maple tahini dressing (or other dressing of choice)
- Optional topping idea: pan-seared baked, or grilled salmon fillets ( 4oz fillets for each salad)
Instructions
- Prepare quinoa per package directions
- While quinoa is cooking, sauté kale with olive oil, salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat. Cover the pan in between tossing/stirring to help the kale steam. Cook until bright green and tender, ~5-8 minutes*
- If making the maple tahini dressing fresh, shake all dressing ingredients in a jar to combine while the quinoa and kale cool
- In a large bowl, toss quinoa, kale, pistachios, pepitas, and tomatoes to combine. Add in goat cheese & toss lightly. Top with cooked salmon fillet if choosing to add to your salad
- Dress, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Top with cooked salmon. For those who eat fish, a baked or grilled 4oz fillet on top is highly recommended (a personal favorite!).
- Add elote-spiced grilled chicken and sweet corn. This is my new favorite summertime version. We use our juicy grilled chicken recipe with an elote spice blend on it and stir in cooked fresh sweet corn to the salad.
- Add chickpeas. If you want to keep this vegetarian but bulk it up even more, stir in a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas (option to roast if desired).
- Swap the grain. Farro or brown rice both work if you don’t have quinoa on hand. Farro in particular has a chewy texture that fits this salad well.
- Change up the cheese. Feta cheese is a great substitute, shaved parmesan works too.
- Swap the nuts. Pistachios are my go-to here, but sliced almonds or chopped pecans both work well. Almonds keep that crisp snap while pecans bring a buttery richness that plays especially well with the maple in the dressing.
- Add avocado. Sliced or cubed avocado adds creaminess and makes the salad even more filling. Add it right before serving so it stays fresh.
Ruthie says
This salad was super easy to make and absolutely delicious! I’m obsessed with the maple tahini dressing, very yummy and it came together so fast. I’ll definitely be making this again!
ourlovelanguageisfood says
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you for making my recipe.
David says
The dressing on this salad is AMAZING
ourlovelanguageisfood says
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
Victoria says
I don’t know why I waited so long to try this salad – yum! To sauté the kale made it really tender which was a nice contrast to the crunch of the pepitas and pistachios. I made it with tomatoes from my garden, salmon, honey goat cheese, and that fabulous maple tahini dressing – mmmmm! A+
ourlovelanguageisfood says
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!! Thank you so much for making my recipe!