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Vegan Quinoa Salad with Brussels Sprouts & Pepitas

Name: Vegan Quinoa Salad with Brussels Sprouts & Pepitas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa; 3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth; ½ cup coarsely chopped dried apricots; ⅔ cup untoasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds); ⅓ cup raw sunflower seeds; 16 oz. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded; 1 or 2 carrots, cut into ribbons with vegetable peeler; ½ large red onion, sliced or chopped (see note); ½ cup chopped fresh parsley; ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar; ¼ cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 tablespoon coarse ground mustard; 1 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon ground pepper

55 mins

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By: Rachel GurkPosted: 10/28/2020Updated: 08/02/2021

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You’ll love the crisp green Brussels sprouts shredded into this exciting vegan quinoa salad with dried apricots, sunflower seeds, and pepitas. The homemade vinaigrette is fabulous!

Overhead view of a white bowl filled with quinoa and colorful vegetables.

A vegan quinoa salad that has so much going for it, you’ll want to eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I know I do! This salad has just the right elements to make it appealing all day long.

Shredded emerald green Brussels sprouts provide a crisp counterpart to filling quinoa, with chewy sweet bits of dried apricot, vivid orange carrot ribbons, and nutty seeds. Dressed with a mildly sweet but tangy maple vinaigrette and subtly flavored with cardamom, the salad is so flavorful, not spicy-in-your-face, but gentle and interesting.

Whether you are vegan or not, whether you’re a quinoa fan or not, whether you love Brussels sprouts or not, I know you’ll love this salad because the sum total of all the parts is so delicious!

About this salad

You could call this vegan quinoa salad a “Buddha bowl” or grain salad. This type of salad is so popular and with good reason.

nutritious (packed with healthy grains, vegetables, fruit, seeds, nuts)
filling (lots of protein and complex carbs that stick with you)
easy to make
versatile (use what you like or happen to have in the house)
portable (great for lunchboxes or picnics)
keeps well in the fridge
never boring (lots of different elements in every bite)

I almost always have cooked quinoa in my fridge or freezer. I like to use this gluten-free grain to make quinoa salads, quinoa soup, quinoa stews, quinoa tacos, and even quinoa pancakes! It’s easy to prepare, mild-tasting, and freezes well.

Quinoa is the base of this vegan quinoa salad. I bet you didn’t guess that, right?! So, now that I’ve stated the obvious, let’s move on. For this salad, I recommend cooking the quinoa with vegetable broth to add even more flavor. Add chopped dried apricots right to the pan so they soften a bit as the quinoa cooks.

Shredded Brussels sprouts are the next big component of this salad. You can use a food processor to shred the sprouts, or just slice them very thinly with a sharp knife. Use a vegetable peeler to make beautiful orange carrot ribbons. Weirdly, I think it’s kind of fun to make carrot ribbons.

I add thinly sliced red onion to provide crunch and just a bit of sharp flavor. Soak the sliced onions for ten minutes in ice water so your salad isn’t overpowered by onion flavor.

Speaking of crunch, sunflower seeds and pepitas add a nice flavorful nutty bite to the salad. Toast the seeds first in a small skillet for optimum flavor. If you don’t have both kinds, no problem. Just use one or the other, or another nut of your choice.

Throw in a handful of chopped parsley, stir up the vinaigrette, and mix it all together. It’s ready to eat right away or it will keep in the fridge for up to a couple of days. Quite honestly, this salad doesn’t last long at my house!

Overhead view of a shaved brussels sprouts salad with quinoa and red onions.

How to make this quinoa salad recipe your own

Like I mention above, grain bowl salads are endlessly versatile. If there’s something in this salad you don’t like, leave it out. Go ahead and substitute (or add) all your favorite things. My mom loves to add gorgonzola cheese, and I often add feta cheese.

Add more protein. Cheese, chickpeas, even chicken could be added to the salad.
Substitute finely chopped cabbage, spinach, or kale for the Brussels sprouts.
Instead of seeds, use toasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts.
Replace the dried apricots with another dried fruit, such as golden raisins, dried cranberries, or cherries.
Try a different grain: farro, brown rice, bulgur (cracked wheat), or couscous (which is really a pasta, not a grain).

Hearty quinoa salad in a white bowl with a black spoon.

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

The entire salad can be made at least a day in advance. Store it in a tightly covered container in the fridge.

Or, prepare the elements of the salad and store them separately. Cook up the quinoa, shred the Brussels sprouts, make the carrot ribbons, toast the seeds, make the dressing. Stir them together just before serving.