Baked Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa
With warm components and fresh flavors, this Baked Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa is the perfect bridge between winter and spring.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white quinoa cooked
- 2 bunches dino kale de-stemmed and roughly chopped about 2-3 cups tightly packed
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup salted and roasted sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup dates pitted and chopped
DRESSING
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Spread the cooked quinoa and chopped kale in single layers, each on their own baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus a little salt and pepper to the quinoa, using your hands to mix around. Add the remaining 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of olive oil, plus a little salt and pepper to the kale and do the same (make sure both the kale and quinoa are still in a single layer on their baking sheets after mixing).
- Add both quinoa and kale to the preheated oven. Bake the kale for 5-7 minutes, until softened and slightly crispy (watch to make sure it doesn’t get too crispy).
- Bake the quinoa for about 25-30 minutes, until crispy and golden. Shake the pan gently to toss the quinoa every 10 or so minutes.
- While the quinoa is baking, make the dressing. Add all ingredients to a jar, close tightly, and shake well to mix. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad: add baked kale, crispy quinoa, sliced almonds, feta cheese, and dates. Toss with dressing and serve.