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Pomegranate Quinoa Salad is a tasty and festive choice, combining quinoa, creamy avocado, feta, and vibrant pomegranate seeds with sweet tangerine segments. It’s tossed with a flavorful homemade cranberry-pomegranate vinaigrette, making it a perfect addition to any meal.
During the chillier times of the year, especially when pomegranates are plentiful and at peak quality, this Pomegranate Quinoa Salad becomes a vibrant and wholesome choice for our festive gatherings. The bold flavors of this salad combine the zest of citrus with sweet pomegranate, creamy avocado with salty feta cheese, and crisp salad greens. Dressed in a homemade Cranberry-Pomegranate Vinaigrette, this colorful and tasty salad is delicious and nutritious!
Why We Love This Quinoa Salad
- Versatile and Vibrant: Perfect as a main dish or a refreshing side.
- Nutrient-Rich Ingredients: Combines wholesome quinoa with the antioxidant power of pomegranate and citrus fruits.
- Fresh and Flavorful: The mix of feta cheese with avocado offers a fresh, creamy texture.
Ingredients For Pomegranate Quinoa Salad
- Cranberry juice & Pomegranate juice for the tangy vinaigrette.
- Extra virgin olive oil for the dressing.
- Red wine vinegar
- Quinoa
- Chicken or Vegetable broth: For cooking the quinoa.
- Iceberg lettuce
- Tangerines & Avocado
- Radishes: Contribute a peppery bite.
- Feta cheese & Pomegranate seeds for garnish.
How To Make Quinoa Salad
- Make the Dressing: Shake together the cranberry and pomegranate juice together with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and pomegranate seeds. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
- Cook the Quinoa: Boil quinoa in broth, simmer it for 15 minutes, then let it cool.
- Assemble the Salad: Layer lettuce, quinoa, tangerines, avocado, radishes on a serving plate.
- Garnish: Garnish with feta and pomegranate seeds.
- Serve: Dress the salad right before serving.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Balance the Flavors: If the dressing tastes too tart, add a small amount of honey or maple syrup to balance the acidity.
- Citrus Variety: Experiment with different types of citrus fruits, like blood oranges or grapefruits, for varying flavors and colors.
- Protein Boost: For a protein-packed meal, add grilled chicken, fish, or tofu.
- Nutty Crunch: Sprinkle toasted nuts like almonds, pecans, or walnuts for added texture.
- Make-Ahead: Prepare the quinoa and dressing ahead of time and assemble the salad just before serving to save time.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this pomegranate quinoa salad alongside our instant pot turkey breast or my air fryer rotisserie chicken. Include the salad as part of a larger cheese board spread, complementing this cranberry baked brie and blue cheese crackers. Serve it alongside warm mulled wine or apple cider mimosas for a holiday feel.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store the dressing separately to maintain freshness.
Quinoa Recipes To Try
- Quinoa Quiche Muffins with Spinach and Cheese
- Southwestern Quinoa Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
- Quinoa with Sundried Tomatoes and Feta
- Quinoa and Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes
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Pomegranate Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- ½ cup cranberry juice
- ¼ cup pomegranate juice
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
- salt and fresh ground black pepper,, to taste
For the Salad
- ½ cup quinoa
- 1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ wedge iceberg lettuce,, shredded
- 2 small tangerines,, segmented
- 1 avocado,, cubed
- 2 radishes,, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
For the Dressing
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, pomegranate seeds, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper until completely combined.
For the Quinoa
- Combine quinoa and chicken (or vegetable) broth in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes; remove from heat and let it cool.
For the Salad
- Layer shredded lettuce on a large salad plate. Arrange the cooled quinoa over the top of the salad.
- Add tangerine segments, chopped avocado, and sliced radishes. Sprinkle the top with feta cheese and pomegranate seeds.
- Shake or mix the salad dressing very well and add desired amount to the salad.
- Serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Now that’s a beautiful salad! Great selection of ingredients and love the addition of the quinoa because it’s a full meal. And you’re right – that dressing is usual and sounds delicious!
Quinoa is too easy to get obsessed with. This is such a beautiful salad and surely delicious too!
This is VERY beautiful, Kate! Love your cranberry & pomegranate based dressing! This is a wonderful salad for a holiday party!
I eat salads practically everyday and this salad has all my favorite ingredients. Love the beautiful vibrant colors! This will be a go to salad for a while. Thanks Katerina!
I’m totally joining you on the quinoa bandwagon, my friend. I love the stuff too. I’m not sure if I’ve ever made it with chicken broth instead of water or not, but now I’m going to try. See, you’re ruining my diet too. But, I’ll balance that by putting the quinoa in that salad and making that dressing. Both look amazing.
It’s okay that you’re obsessed with quinoa, because we love it too! This salad looks fantastic 🙂
This has all my favorite ingredients. Quinoa, pomegranate, avocado, tangerines. Love it! I’ve been known to drink salad dressing on occasion 🙂
This salad has so many great textures! I know this would be a big hit for me. 🙂 This will be lunch tomorrow. P. S. – I love avocados!!
Gorgeous, I love pom and citrus in winter salads!
Very beautiful and healthy salad. 🙂