Autumn Kale and Quinoa Salad with Chutney Dressing
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This hearty kale and quinoa salad is filled with crisp veggies, juicy grapes, and cashews, but the chutney dressing is what makes it shine.
This kale and quinoa salad is one of my fall favorites. It’s packed with crisp veggies, grapes, and crunchy roasted cashews, but what really makes it shine is the dressing made with mango chutney and curry powder. It would make literally anything taste good! If you’re in the mood to mix things up, you can easily swap the grapes for diced apples or toss in some dried cherries or cranberries. To make it a bit heartier, consider adding chickpeas.
Thanks to kale’s sturdiness, this salad is great for making ahead and keeping in the fridge for weekday lunches. And a time-saving tip: you can find cooked quinoa in the freezer aisle of most supermarkets. It’s great to have on hand for tossing into salads for a boost of protein and nutrients.
What You’ll Need
To cut down on prep time, you can buy the kale, quinoa, and carrots already prepared. However, note that the kale that comes washed and prepped in a bag still needs to be chopped into smaller pieces, and some thick stems need to be removed.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the chutney dressing. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the lemon juice, chutney, honey, garlic, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Gradually add the olive oil, whisking to emulsify.
Step 2: Toss everything together. Add the kale, quinoa, carrots, bell pepper, celery, grapes, and cilantro to the dressing and toss until the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
Step 3: Chill and finish. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or until ready to serve (up to 1 day ahead). Right before serving, mix in the cashews. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, before serving.
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Autumn Kale and Quinoa Salad with Chutney Dressing
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 3½ tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 to 2 lemons
- 3 tablespoons store-bought mango chutney
- 1½ tablespoons honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1¾ teaspoons curry powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Salad
- 4 cups chopped kale, thick stems/ribs removed
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (I buy it frozen; see note)
- 1 cup shredded carrots, from 2 to 3 carrots
- 1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper, from 1 pepper
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery, from 1 to 2 celery stalks
- 1 cup grapes, halved
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- ⅔ cup roasted salted cashews
Instructions
- For the Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the lemon juice, chutney, honey, garlic, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Gradually add the olive oil, whisking to emulsify.
- For the Salad: Add the kale, quinoa, carrots, bell pepper, celery, grapes, and cilantro (if using) to the dressing. Toss until the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or until ready to serve (up to 1 day ahead). Right before serving, mix in the cashews. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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This is just fabulous and on repeat in our house. I’ve noticed different kinds of kale – dino, baby, curly, and flat – sorry, I don’t recall the names. Do they all work well in this recipe and keep well in the refrigerator, or is there a particular kind you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Ellen, glad you like this! I like this best with Tuscan kale (which is also referred to as lacinto and dinosaur kale).
What are your thoughts on using plum chutney instead of mango, and fresh persimmons instead of grapes?! Too crazy? And Would the curry powder still work with these changes?
I think they sound like tasty tweaks — I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
I followed through on the changes and it was tasty. So, persimmons for grapes; plum chutney for mango chutney; and no curry powder (mainly bc I didn’t have any). The dish was well received. Proves the versatility of the recipe. Thanks!
So glad it came out well with the modifications — thanks for taking the time to report back!