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Kale Quinoa Salad with Pears

Welcome autumn with this Kale and Quinoa Fall Salad with Pears! The hearty kale, sweet pears, and salty feta combine in each flavorful bite with a simple vinaigrette. Pomegranate aerils and walnuts add crunch.
Kale and Quinoa Fall Salad with pears, pomegranates, feta, walnuts, dried cherries or cranberries, in a blue bowl.
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Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 508kcal
Author Liren Baker

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 1 lb curly kale washed, de-stemmed and chopped (about 6 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt plus more, to taste
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups chopped or sliced pear about 1 large pear (see notes)
  • 1 cup pomegranate arils
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
  • Freshly ground black pepper

For the Dressing

  • 1/3 cup minced shallot about 1 medium shallot
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Prepare the kale:

  • Massage kale in olive oil, salt for one minute. The kale will shrink in volume. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Prepare the quinoa:

  • Rinse and drain the quinoa in a fine sieve. Combine with 2 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to a simmer, cover the saucepan, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat, and continue to let it rest, covered, for about five minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a baking sheet and let it fully cool in the refrigerator.

Prepare the dressing:

  • In a small jar, add the shallot, sherry vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover the jar tightly with the lid and shake vigorously until the dressing is fully emulsified. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper, to taste. Set the dressing aside, or refrigerate until you are ready to make the salad.

Make the salad:

  • Add the quinoa, pear, pomegranate arils, dried cherries, and half of then salad dressing to the kale, and toss well to combine. Stir in the feta, walnuts, and season with salt, pepper, and additional dressing, to taste.

Notes

A note on pears: For this salad, select pears that are still somewhat firm and crisp. We want the sweetness of the pear in the salad, but if we choose pears that are very ripe, they may be too soft and mushy for the salad. Anjou and Bartlett pears work especially well in this recipe.
Make ahead: If you wish, combine all the ingredients for the salad, with the exception of the pears, and dress with some of the salad dressing. Refrigerate the salad overnight until ready to serve. Before serving, toss in the pears, and drizzle with additional salad dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 780mg | Potassium: 653mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 7985IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 4mg
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