Quinoa Kale Salad with Edamame

Quinoa Kale Salad with Edamame and an easy lemony dressing. Yep, I’m back again with another fast, delicious, super-charged healthy salad.

If you hadn’t heard, that’s kind of my thing now. What? You hadn’t heard? While there are a whole slew of salads on my site, here’s the-down on my fastest, easiest ones.

5 Fast and Delicious Super-Charged Salads

First up was Massaged Kale Salad, which I’ve made so many times I’ve lost count. I even eat it for breakfast sometimes. Now, there’s a fun way to wake up your taste buds 🙂

Then there is the Cranberry and Feta Orzo Salad, a favorite of Casey’s, and something he can make himself.

The buttery, lush, and amazing Salad Greens with Spinach Arugula Pesto is a perfect light lunch on a warm day. (Can greens be considered buttery? In the case of new spring greens, which these definitely were, I say yes.)

And, of course, the Purple Cabbage Cranberry Apple Slaw deserves a mention. It belongs on a magazine cover it’s so freaking gorgeous.

While it’s hard to compete with the above purple passion, this latest combo of kale, edamame, and quinoa is blessed with good looks as well. Bright kale, in-season tomatoes, nutty quinoa, and green edamame come together picture perfect (well, as perfect as an iPhone and an amateur food photographer can get.)

But looks aren’t everything, are they? You can put designer jeans and some lipstick on an armadillo, and it’s still an armadillo.

Trust me, this salad ain’t no armadillo. How do I know? ‘Cause my two big men, the hubs and 15-year-old Zach, both really liked it. Casey, my veggie lover and foodie-in-training, devoured it. And Georgia at least picked out a few edamame to eat before declaring it was a ‘little too lemony.’ Bah. What does she know. She’s 9 and canned corn is still her favorite vegetable.

The thing I love the most about this salad is the combo of contrasting textures — the crisp kale, the chewy quinoa, and the firm edamame. The lemony dressing has a touch of honey, and the flavors together just hit the bulls-eye for me. Hopefully they will for you, too!

Quinoa Kale Salad with Edamame
Serves 6

Prep time: 15 minutes    Cook time: 10-15 minutes (depends on method of cooking quinoa)

2 cups quinoa, cooked
2 cups finely chopped kale (no ribs, just the leaves)
1 cup edamame, cooked
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 and 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 garlic clove, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together the quinoa, kale, edamame, tomatoes, and onion in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, honey, and garlic. Add the dressing to the salad and toss. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Salad can be served immediately, or cover and refrigerate to allow the dressing mingle with the ingredients for a while. Salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week.

ENJOY!