Best 5 Spinach And Quinoa Salad With Dried Apricots Recipes

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In search of a nutritious and flavorful salad to enhance your culinary repertoire? Look no further than the delightful spinach and quinoa salad with dried apricots—a vibrant blend of textures and tastes that will tantalize your palate. This salad combines the earthy notes of spinach, the nutty flavor of quinoa, the natural sweetness of dried apricots, and a tangy vinaigrette dressing, resulting in a dish that is both refreshing and satisfying.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

QUINOA WILTED SPINACH SALAD



Quinoa Wilted Spinach Salad image

Get all the nutritious benefits of quinoa, spinach and cranberries paired with the crunchy texture of nuts in this easy and scrumptious salad. A light, flavorful dressing splashed with citrus tops everything off! -Sharon Ricci, Mendon, New York

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 30m

Yield 10 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach, torn
1/2 cup dried cranberries
DRESSING:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Steps:

  • In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork., In a large bowl, combine the warm quinoa, spinach and cranberries. For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, orange juice, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in onion. Pour over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with pecans.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 171 calories, Fat 9g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 136mg sodium, Carbohydrate 20g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 3g protein.

SPINACH-QUINOA SALAD WITH CHERRIES AND ALMONDS



Spinach-Quinoa Salad With Cherries and Almonds image

Haven't tried this yet, but it looks delicious. Can also use either couscous or bulgur, if you like. Cooking time includes chilling the completed salad in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. From VT July/Aug 2006

Provided by Annisette

Categories     Cherries

Time 1h15m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 cups water, salted (to cook quinoa)
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups spinach leaves
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved or 1 cup dried cherries, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1/2 inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Spread almonds on baking sheet, and toast 7-10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, until golden brown. Cool.
  • Bring 3 cups salted water to boil in pot over med-high heat. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
  • Remove pot from heat and allow to cool, covered.
  • Lay 5 or 6 spinach leaves on top of one another on a cutting board. Roll tightly into a cylinder. Slice into slivers. Repeat with remaining spinach.
  • In large serving bowl, toss together quinoa, almonds, spinach, cherries, cucumber, chickpeas, and red onion.
  • In small bowl, whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Pour yogurt mixture over salad, and toss to coat.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Chill the salad for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
  • Serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 401.6, Fat 14.3, SaturatedFat 1.7, Cholesterol 0.6, Sodium 240.1, Carbohydrate 59.4, Fiber 8.2, Sugar 8.8, Protein 12.6

SPINACH SALAD WITH APRICOT VINAIGRETTE



Spinach Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette image

Make and share this Spinach Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette recipe from Food.com.

Provided by ratherbeswimmin

Categories     Spinach

Time 20m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 (10 ounce) package fresh Baby Spinach
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 small purple onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped dried apricot
1 (4 ounce) package crumbled goat cheese
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Steps:

  • To make the vinaigrette: Add all the vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl; whisk until well blended; set aside.
  • To make salad: Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl; toss to mix.
  • Drizzle Apricot Vinaigrette over salad; toss to coat.
  • Season to taste with salt/pepper if needed.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 362.1, Fat 29.6, SaturatedFat 6.8, Cholesterol 15, Sodium 337.9, Carbohydrate 21.1, Fiber 5.9, Sugar 12.2, Protein 8

APRICOT SPINACH SALAD



Apricot Spinach Salad image

This is such an easy salad yet it is so full of flavor. The vinaigrette add a great flavor to the spinach and apricots.-Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Greendale, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 10m

Yield 8 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 package (10 ounces) fresh baby spinach
1 cup canned apricot halves, drained and sliced
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup raspberry vinaigrette
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Steps:

  • In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, apricots and raisins. Drizzle with vinaigrette and sprinkle with lemon zest; toss to coat.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 132 calories, Fat 8g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 155mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 1g protein.

QUINOA SALAD WITH DRIED FRUIT AND NUTS



Quinoa Salad with Dried Fruit and Nuts image

This is an unusual and tasty high-protein grain salad. Quinoa is a grain that has almost no flavor, but the spices add zest. It's well worth trying, I make it often since discovering quinoa at my health food store.

Provided by NATALIE17

Categories     Salad     Grains     Quinoa Salad Recipes

Time 2h

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 ½ cups quinoa
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups water
1 bunch green onions, chopped
¾ cup chopped celery
½ cup raisins
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sesame oil
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¾ cup chopped pecans

Steps:

  • Bring the quinoa, salt, and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Once done, scrape into a large bowl, and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Stir in the green onions, celery, raisins, cayenne pepper, vegetable oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend. Stir in the cilantro and pecans before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 220.9 calories, Carbohydrate 26.3 g, Fat 11.6 g, Fiber 3.6 g, Protein 5.1 g, SaturatedFat 1.3 g, Sodium 71.9 mg, Sugar 6 g

Tips:

  • Use fresh spinach: Fresh spinach has a more vibrant flavor and texture than wilted or frozen spinach.
  • Rinse the quinoa thoroughly before cooking: This will remove the saponins, which are bitter compounds that can make the quinoa taste soapy.
  • Cook the quinoa according to the package directions: The cooking time will vary depending on the type of quinoa you are using.
  • Let the quinoa cool slightly before adding it to the salad: This will help to prevent the salad from becoming too watery.
  • Use a variety of dried apricots: You can use whole, chopped, or sliced dried apricots. If you are using whole dried apricots, be sure to pit them before adding them to the salad.
  • Add other nuts and seeds to the salad: You can add walnuts, almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds to the salad for extra flavor and crunch.
  • Dress the salad with a light vinaigrette: A simple vinaigrette made with olive oil, vinegar, and Dijon mustard is a great way to dress this salad.

Conclusion:

This spinach and quinoa salad with dried apricots is a delicious and healthy side dish or main course. It is packed with nutrients and flavor, and it is easy to make. This salad is a great way to get your daily dose of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It is also a good source of protein and fiber.

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