Warm Collard Quinoa Salad

This warm collard quinoa salad with fresh cherry tomatoes is a great meal for lunch and dinner. It is so simple to prepare and full of flavor.

Who doesn’t like quinoa?! It is so simple to prepare and so versatile. It is perfect for fresh, delicious salads and you can have it either for lunch or dinner. This salad is made with fresh collard leaves, which are one of my favorite dark green leaves, and tossed with olive oil, garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Hum… So good. If you love warm salad, this one is perfect for you. There is no better combination than quinoa and collard to make a perfect and flavorful warm salad.

Now, about the recipe.

I highly suggest before cooking quinoa that you always rinse very well for about 3 minutes or so in running cold water. Quinoa has saponins, which are naturally occurring chemical compounds that some people may be very sensitive to. While some companies have pre-rinsed quinoa, I rinse it anyway. Got extra quinoa? I love making my Carrot Quinoa Salad, Sausage Quinoa Pasta, and Spring Quinoa Salad Recipe.

Now for the collard, you can cut it into slices and then wash and dry it in your salad spinner or wash and dry one leaf at a time before slicing it. Got extra collard? Try making my Kalamata Collard Quinoa Salad!

Since you are sautéing leaves, always keep the heat low to avoid the leaves getting very soggy. As for the tomatoes, you can cut them in half or not, depending on your preference.

Want to browse all of my recipe posts? Follow my Primavera Kitchen Board on Pinterest!!!  I also have great Pinterest Boards such as Weeknight Dinner, Quinoa Dishes, Slow Cooker Meals, and Soups and Stews. I hope you enjoy all the delicious recipes I have there!!

Let’s check the recipe.

I really hope you enjoy this recipe and share it with your friends and family if you think it is worthy.

4 from 4 votes

Warm Collard Quinoa Salad

This warm collard quinoa salad with fresh cherry tomatoes is a great meal for lunch and dinner. It is so simple to prepare and full of flavor.

© Author: Olivia Ribas

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

For the Quinoa

• ▢ 1 cup of quinoa
• ▢ 2 cups of water
• ▢ ½ tsp of salt
• ▢ 1 garlic clove pealed

For the sauté collard greens

• ▢ 1 bunch collard greens
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ ½ onion diced
• ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• ▢ 1 tsp extra olive oil
• ▢ Red pepper flakes to taste
• ▢ salt ground black pepper

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

• First, place quinoa in a fine strainer. Rinse under cold running water for 2 or 3 minutes and drain for a few minutes.
• Bring water to a boil in a medium pan, add the quinoa, a clove of garlic, and salt.
• Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 15 or 20 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy.
• Remove the garlic clove from the pan, as it was only used for flavoring.
• Cut and trim the stems away from the collard.
• Stack a few the leaves on top of each other, roll tightly, and slice.
• Wash and set aside to drain.
• In a skillet, add the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.
• Add onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
• Cook until the onions are soft and golden.
• Add tomatoes and cook until soft.
• Turn the heat to low and add the collard greens, stirring until wilted.
• Finally, add the cooled quinoa and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tips

• Make sure to wash and dry the collard greens thoroughly before using. 
• Don't skip rinsing the quinoa as it helps wash away bitterness.
• To store: Store leftover collard quinoa salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• To reheat: You can quickly reheat the salad in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/4 Calories: 103kcal Carbohydrates: 15g Protein: 4g Fat: 3g Sodium: 401mg Potassium: 309mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 5g

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.

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This Mediterranean quinoa salad is made with cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, and fresh basil.