Harvest Grain Salad

A mix of quinoa, veggies, edamame, dried fruit and nuts, this Harvest Grain Salad makes a hearty lunch or dinner recipe for the fall or winter or really…any time of year!

I have a confession to make. This salad is indeed titled “harvest grain salad” but the only “grain” is quinoa… which actually isn’t even a grain, it’s a seed. But if you’re like me, you still treat it like a grain in most dishes so here we are! “Harvest seed salad” sounds like a much sadder recipe.

In truth, this recipe is based off one I found in a very old Trader Joe’s cookbook when I was in college. C and I used to make it all the time and the recipe kind of stuck to memory. The only problem? We were living in Canada and didn’t have access to the Trader Joe’s Harvest Grain Blend. And so we decided to swap with quinoa and that’s how this harvest grain salad was born!

These days I laugh because there’s nothing “harvest” about this recipe but it’s just too darn good not to share. So here I am having butchered the recipe  but in other ways having made is so much better.

If you really would prefer grains, you can swap in any type of grain in place of the quinoa. I love it with couscous and orzo but the options really are endless. Have some fun!

Harvest Grain Salad Ingredients

• Quinoa
• Vegetables – bell pepper, red onion, edamame
• Dried apricots
• Nuts
• Orange juice
• Red wine vinegar
• Crumbled blue cheese
• Seasonings and spices – cumin, sea salt and pepper

How to Make Harvest Grain Salad

STEP 1: Start by cooking the quinoa according to package directions and then set aside to let cool. 

STEP 2: While the quinoa is cooking, chop your vegetables. Combine the quinoa, veggies and apricots once the quinoa is cooled.

STEP 3: Mix the orange juice, red wine vinegar, cumin, salt and pepper.

STEP 4: Stir the dressing into the quinoa and veggie mixture. Top with blue cheese if using and serve immediately. 

Some Substitutions

Grains – I love making this recipe with a variety of grains! Couscous, orzo, farro, rice… try ‘em all!

Protein – While quinoa is a complete protein, if you use a different grain you can definitely add in a protein-rich ingredient like lentils, tofu or meat. 

Vegetables – Like different vegetables or want to add more? Go for it! I’m sharing my staple ingredients but if you want to use your favorite veggies, I’m sure it will still be delicious. 

Nuts – Any nut works in this salad. I typically use pecans because I love them but you can use any type of nut or even swap in for seeds if you prefer. 

Dried fruit – I used dried apricots but… you guessed it! Any dried fruit works. 

Skip the cheese – The blue cheese is 100% optional. Keep this dish dairy-free by just skipping the cheese. 

Are you seeing a theme with this recipe? It’s super flexible! If you’re feeling creative in the kitchen, have fun with this! If not, I promise this version is perfect as designed. 

Storing Leftovers

Eat this salad right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. I love it right away but it almost gets better the longer all of the flavors marinate together. It’s a great recipe to prep in advance!