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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Kale Quinoa Salad with Sesame Aioli

    UPDATED Jun 6, 2018 · PUBLISHED May 13, 2015 BY Marjory Pilley · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Kale Quinoa Salad Recipe

    Kale Quinoa Salad is dressed with a lightened-up Sesame Aioli and topped with so many delicious, crunchy toppings that you'll forget just how healthy it is!

    Kale Quinoa Salad with sesame aioli in a bowl.

    It's a sensory delight! Tender baby kale and spinach leaves form the base of this salad. Red quinoa adds a soft, nutty and colorful contrast with the greens and can be added when it's cool or warm. (I'm a fan of warm!)

    Spindly carrots, strips of crinkly Napa cabbage, green onions and cashews are mixed throughout for a little crunch in every bite. Add chicken if you aren't enjoying the meatless version.

    Top it off with a creamy sesame aioli dressing with a hint of heat from sriracha sauce.

    Yummmmmy! Once I have all the ingredients, I eat this for days on end. That's the nice things about hearty kale greens, they hold up well for days, even with dressing. We do this all the time when we make Massaged Kale Salad.

    Kale Quinoa Salad with Sesame Aioli Dressing in a bowl.

    I fell in love with this salad at Nature's Table and came straight home and made my own version. I love doing this! (Some of my previous projects include Alice Springs Chicken and Bang Bang Shrimp.) I try to take a favorite and make it a bit healthier.

    But, you don't need to make any changes to this Kale Quinoa Salad, except for a few adjustments to the dressing.

    Kale Quinoa Salad Tips and Tricks

    I usually enjoy white quinoa and immediately questioned what the difference is between the red and white varieties. It turns out there are hundreds of colors including black which you can sometimes find in the grocery store. Based upon this article over at the Kitchn, there is little difference between the taste and cooking method for the various colors, except that you might find a very subtle difference in the texture with red being just a little heartier.

    Isn't the contrast in colors delightful?! Make a big batch of red quinoa, more than you need for this salad, store it in the refrigerator and scoop it out for salads and other dishes throughout the week. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze it! Yes indeed. It freezes beautifully.

    Kale Quinoa Salad with Sesame Aioli Dressing in bowl.

    Add diced, cooked chicken for an extra protein boost. Or, leave it off for a meatless version. Quinoa is naturally high in protein and the nuts add some protein too.

    The salad is dressed with a creamy sesame aioli that's been lightened-up by replacing some of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt. Add sriracha for some heat. It's not spicy at all if you leave out this ingredient. Another dressing that is delicious with this salad and is oil and vinegar based can be found with Chinese Napa Cabbage Salad.

    Enjoy!

    Did you make this recipe?
    Please leave a rating and tell us how you liked it!

    Kale quinoa salad with sesame aioli in a bowl.

    Kale Quinoa Salad with Sesame Aioli

    Kale Quinoa Salad is dressed with a lightened-up Sesame Aioli and topped with carrots, Napa cabbage, green onions and cashews for an explosion of flavor in every bite!
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 524kcal
    Author: Marjory Pilley

    Ingredients

    Salad

    • 5 ounce bag of baby kale and/or baby spinach leaves
    • 1 cup cooked red quinoa cook according to package instructions
    • 1 cup thinly sliced Napa cabbage
    • 1 cup julienned carrot sticks
    • ½ cup sliced green onion
    • ½ cup chopped cashews or almonds
    • 1 cup diced cooked chicken (leave off for meatless version)

    Sesame Aioli

    • 2 Tablespoons low-fat olive oil based mayonnaise
    • 2 Tablespoons non-fat Greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream
    • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    • 1 Tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
    • ¼ teaspoon sriracha sauce

    Instructions

    • Divide salad ingredients between 2 plates
    • Combine Sesame Aioli ingredients in a bowl and stir well.
    • Drizzle Sesame Aioli over salad and enjoy!
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 412mg | Potassium: 1103mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 16190IU | Vitamin C: 91.8mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 5.9mg
    Nutritional and Food Safety Disclaimer

    Other quinoa salads you might enjoy:

    Greek Quinoa Salad

    Spinach and Lemon Quinoa Salad by A Mindful Mom

    Tomato and Black Bean Salad by Taste and Tell

    More Salad Recipes

    • Columbia 1905 Salad Recipe
    • Spinach Strawberry Walnut Salad with Chicken
    • Sweet Red Wine Vinegar Dressing - Easy Recipe!
    • Slow Cooker Chicken Salad
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom

      May 13, 2015 at 1:34 pm

      Thank you so much for linking to my quinoa salad. I can't wait to try this version. I love the sesame aioli.

      Reply
      • Marjory

        May 13, 2015 at 1:45 pm

        Your welcome! I pinned your recipe a few weeks ago to my Salad Board and it was such a hit! Yum!

        Reply
    2. Lauren Kelly Nutrition

      May 13, 2015 at 2:15 pm

      Oh my goodness this looks like the perfect lunch! Love it!

      Reply
    3. The Food Hunter

      May 13, 2015 at 3:51 pm

      this looks so healthy and delicious.

      Reply
    4. Paula - bell'alimento

      May 13, 2015 at 8:06 pm

      So light and lovely. Perfect for spring/summer.

      Reply
    5. Kim Beaulieu

      May 13, 2015 at 11:42 pm

      This is delightful. Nothing better than a great salad. And this one fits the bill.

      Reply
    6. Lora @cakeduchess

      May 14, 2015 at 6:35 am

      I'm always looking for quinoa inspiration. There is so much to love in this fantastic salad (especially the sesame aioli!!)

      Reply
    7. Martha @ A Family Feast

      May 14, 2015 at 10:47 am

      I'm picturing all sorts of dishes to enjoy with that aioli! (Maybe even just eaten by the spoonful!) 🙂

      Reply
    8. Renee - Kudos Kitchen

      May 14, 2015 at 11:00 am

      Marjory, I'm loving this salad. The colors, textures, tastes...you've got it all in one bowl! I'm excited to try this. It's looks like something I crave.

      Reply
    9. Carol Borchardt

      May 14, 2015 at 5:33 pm

      This looks soooo tasty! Looking forward to trying this soon! Pinned, Yummed and Stumbled!

      Reply
    10. Nutmeg Nanny

      May 15, 2015 at 9:30 am

      What a fresh and delicious looking salad! The dressing sounds awesome and totally unique!

      Reply

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