This rockin’ Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad is loaded with extras like sweet dried cranberries, creamy feta cheese, toasty almonds, and chopped kale then tossed in an irresistible lemon dressing. This superfood salad has the most amazing textures and flavors!
One of the few side dishes everyone in my family agrees on is broccoli.
We can’t get enough of that cruciferous little rockstar on our plates and, as a result, I’ve developed the *tastiest* collection of broccoli recipes for the blog.
Today a new baller broccoli recipe is joining the ranks in the form of the most amazing roasted broccoli quinoa salad.
Roasting is one of the most hands-off (and delicious!) methods for cooking broccoli and results in tremendous flavor and texture. No soggy broccoli here!
We like ours lightly roasted so the broccoli is still vibrant green with golden edges – delish! Love yours extra crispy and toasty? Feel free to roast the broccoli a little longer to your liking.
For a gluten-free salad that is gloriously vegan too, simply skip the feta and you’re good to go! There are even a few brands of vegan feta that are delicious and can be used here as well. Both options are fantastic!
Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad
For a speedy salad, cook the quinoa and make the dressing while the broccoli roasts, this way you’ll have everything ready to go for an easy toss and scarf salad.
I like to chop the broccoli up nice and small so there’s a little broccoli goodness in every bite *AND* so it roasts way faster. You can chop up the stalks extra small and roast them too or save them to use in dishes like my Broccoli and Cheese Soup or Broccoli Rice Casserole.
Ready to get your recipe on? This scrumptious salad is sure to be your new favorite!
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ROAST THE BROCCOLI
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Chop and break off broccoli into small florets and add to a baking sheet.
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Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well and spread out, spaced, so each little piece has some room to get crispy on the edges.
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Roast 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges are browned.
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For a speedy salad, cook the quinoa and make the dressing while the broccoli roasts.
COOK THE QUINOA
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Rinse and drain quinoa using a mesh strainer/sieve.
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Bring a small pot to medium-high heat and lightly toast the quinoa to remove any excess water, stirring often. This step is totally optional but adds to the nuttiness and fluff factor of the quinoa!
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Next add water, set burner to high heat, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered with the lid slightly ajar, for 13 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and the liquid has been absorbed.
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Once the quinoa is ready, fluff with a fork and lightly season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer to a large mixing bowl
MAKE THE DRESSING
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Juice 1 and a half lemons and peel and mince a clove of garlic. Combine in a small bowl or you can shake up the dressing in a lidded mason jar.
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Add 3 TBSP oil (avocado or olive) along with 1 tsp vinegar, and ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper.
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Whisk well (or add the lid to a mason jar and shake well) and give it a taste. A little sugar or maple syrups can be added if sweetness is preferred and extras of any of the ingredients (salt, pepper, lemon, etc…) may be added to suit your tastes.
SALAD TIME!
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Into the large mixing bowl with the cooked quinoa, add roasted broccoli, chopped kale, chopped roasted almonds, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta.
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Pour the freshly shaken/whisked lemon dressing on top and mix well. Give it a taste and add any additional salt and pepper desired to bring out the flavors. Additional nuts, cranberries, and feta can be added as well. Have fun with it!
DIY Roasted Almonds:
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Preheat oven to 325°F. Utilize the center rack of the oven.
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Add whole almonds to a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast whole almonds approx. 10 minutes or slivered/sliced almonds for 8-10 minutes. Stir around halfway. Ovens tend to vary, so keep an eye on the almonds after the 8 min mark to prevent burning.
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Remove from oven and allow almonds to cool. They’ll continue crisping as they cool.
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator for salad with dressing added. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Calories: 348kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 215mg, Potassium: 494mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 1225IU, Vitamin C: 57mg, Calcium: 155mg, Iron: 3mg
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Behind the Blog
- I’ve been determined to hit the ground running with my 2025 reading challenge. I kept my goal manageable (50 books) and my first book of the year is Kate Quinn’s The Briar Club. (loving it so far!) I’ll be diving into The Wedding People next for book club. The reviews are pretty promising so I’ll probably behave and read this one instead of just going off the rails and reading other things.
- Spring cleaning has sprung early around here and no closet is safe around me! My blog prop cabinets are particularly heinous and need a makeover, stat. The kiddo has been binge-watching the Home Edit organization show these past few days and it was exactly the push I needed to get started.
- HEB is officially my new favorite grocery store. Local friends, any can’t miss products and store brand staples I need to try? Their assorted entertaining crackers are some of the best I’ve ever tried and we’re hooked on their brisket queso and spicy tamales!
If you get a chance to try this roasted broccoli quinoa salad recipe, let me know. Leave me a comment or review using the form below. I’m always so excited to hear from you!
Looking to make some swaps to the recipe or have a cooking question? Ask it below!
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