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Pesto Quinoa Salad with Kale, Asparagus, Avocado, Walnuts, and Feta. A light and refreshing side dish perfect for sharing
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4.37 from 11 votes

Pesto Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Avocado, and Kale

Fresh, flavorful, delicious and nutritious quinoa salad loaded with superfoods and deliciousness!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dishes & Snacks
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 603kcal
Author: Julia

Ingredients

Kale Pesto

Quinoa Salad:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small bunch asparagus trimmed and chopped
  • 2 cups tightly packed kale leaves chopped
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup kale pesto sauce recipe above
  • 1/3 cup raw walnuts roasted and chopped
  • 1 avocado peeled, pitted and diced
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles

Instructions

Kale Pesto:

  • Add all ingredients except oil to a food processor and pulse until chopped. Once chopped, turn the food processor on and stream the oil through the opening in the top. Continue processing until desired texture is reached. Taste pesto for flavor and add more sea salt or nutritional yeast

Quinoa Salad:

  • Cook quinoa according to package instructions.
  • Add oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat to medium-high. Add chopped asparagus and saute, stirring occasionally, until asparagus turns bright green and begins to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Add chopped kale to the skillet and stir. Cover and cook until kale has wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the cooked quinoa, lemon zest, sea salt, and kale pesto and stir well until combined. 
  • Fold in the avocado, walnuts, and feta and taste for flavor. Add more sea salt to taste. Note: you can chill the pesto quinoa in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve before adding the avocado, walnuts, and feta. Quinoa salad can be served both warm or cold.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 6 | Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 54g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g