• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Eat Well.
Live Well.
Be Well.
Display Search Bar
  • Dinners Made Simple
  • Work with Us
  • Let’s Chat!
  • Blog
Follow us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Pinterest! Follow us on Twitter! Follow us on YouTube!

The Real Food Dietitians

Eat well. Live well. Be well.

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Specialty Diets
      • Whole30
      • Paleo
      • Egg-Free
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten-free
      • Grain-Free
    • Meal Prep Recipes
    • Whole30
    • Freezer-Friendly
    • Appetizers
    • Main Entree
    • Breakfast
    • Drinks & Smoothies
    • One-Dish Meals
    • Slow-Cooker
    • Instant Pot
    • Salads & Sides
    • Sauces & Dressings
    • Soups & Stews
    • Snacks
    • Sweets & Treats
  • Real Plans
  • Meal Prep

Mar 3, 2017 By Stacie Hassing

Arugula Salad with Apples, Almonds, Quinoa and Goat Cheese

Dairy-Free
Egg-Free
Gluten-free
Vegan
Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe

This Arugula Salad combines crisp apples, toasted almonds, hearty quinoa, creamy goat cheese, tart dried cherries and tossed in a delicious citrus vinaigrette.

Arugula Salad with Apples, Almonds, Quinoa and Goat Cheese in a white bowl

A salad you can enjoy all year round.

With winter coming to an end and spring on its way (yay!), it’s that time of year when we begin to crave fresh salads and crisp veggies. I love that this Arugula Salad with Apples, Almonds, Quinoa and Goat Cheese can be made during any season, as the ingredients in this recipe are available all year round. There is no need to wait for garden goods to be available and Farmers Market season to begin to give this recipe a try. It’s a salad you can serve as part of a Thanksgiving meal, summer potluck or everyday lunch. And whether you’re a salad lover or not, just trust me on this and give it a try! This isn’t just any ordinary salad. It’s a salad for all to enjoy and one that you’ll make over and over again. I especially love the combination of the creamy goat cheese crumbles, toasted almond, tart cherries and citrus vinaigrette. So much flavor in just one bite!

For our vegan or dairy-free friends, feel free to omit the goat cheese in this recipe. 

Arugula Salad with Apples, Almonds, Quinoa and Goat Cheese ingredients in a white bowl

Tossed in a delicious citrus vinaigrette.

Arugula Salad with Apples, Almonds, Quinoa and Goat Cheese is tossed in a simple and oh so flavorful citrus vinaigrette. In fact, it’s the same vinaigrette as the one used in our popular Brussels Sprouts Salad with bacon. It’s a very versatile dressing that can also be used as a marinade for chicken and fish.

 Arugula Salad is chock-full of nutrient rich ingredients & tossed in a citrus vinaigrette. Click To Tweet

Arugula Salad with Apples, Almonds, Quinoa and Goat Cheese with dressing being poured

No arugula, no problem.

Arugula has nice peppery flavor that makes salad eating that much more fun and delicious. However, if arugula is not your thing or it’s not available in your local grocery store, feel free to substitute any salad greens such as spinach or baby kale.

Arugula Salad with Apples, Almonds, Quinoa and Goat Cheese in a white bowl with a gold spoon

Tips for making Arugula Salad with Apples, Almonds, Quinoa and Goat Cheese ahead of time or as part of your weekend meal prep.

A few tips for making this salad a day or two ahead of time:

  • Cube apples and toss in lemon juice.
  • Make quinoa and cool.
  • Toast almonds and store in a small airtight container until ready to serve.
  • Combine all of the ingredients (except for the almonds and vinaigrette) but do not toss. Cover and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For meal prep – portion out salad into 3-4 servings.
  • Make the vinaigrette ahead of time but do not toss salad with it until just before serving.
  • Just before serving add toasted almonds and toss salad with citrus vinaigrette.

Make this salad into an satisfying entree by adding chicken or salmon for a tasty and well-balanced meal!

Arugula Salad with Apples, Almonds, Quinoa and Goat Cheese in a white bowl

I hope your tastebuds are ready for this gorgeous salad that’s bursting with flavor and chock-full of nutrient rich ingredients that do the body good!

Enjoy!

Hungry for More? Subscribe to get our newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And be sure to stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Let's Get Cookin'

Arugula Salad with Apples, Almonds, Quinoa and Goat Cheese

This Arugula Salad combines crisp apples, toasted almonds, hearty quinoa, creamy goat cheese, tart dried cherries and tossed in a delicious citrus vinaigrette.

  • Author: The Real Food Dietitians
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 4 side servings 1x
  • Category: Salad
Print Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Ingredients

For Quinoa:

  • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • dash of salt

For Vinaigrette:

  • 4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/2 tsp. orange zest.
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp. dried)
  • 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. maple syrup
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 Tbsp. avocado or olive oil

For Salad:

  • 5 cups arugula
  • 1 small apple, diced
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1/3 cup almonds, toasted
  • 1/4 cup dried cherries (may substitute dried cranberries or raisins)
  • 2 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled (omit for dairy-free and vegan-friendly)
  • 2 green onions, chopped (white ends to mid-green part)

Instructions

For the Quinoa:

  1. Rinse quinoa. In a saucepan, bring quinoa and liquid to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 12-16 minutes. Dash with salt and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool. While the quinoa is cooking, make the rest of the salad.

For the Citrus Vinaigrette:

  1. Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combine. Set aside. Here is a slick salad dressing mixer works great for making vinaigrettes, dressings and marinades.

For the Salad:

  1. In small skillet, toast the almonds on low heat, tossing occasionally to prevent burning. Watch closely. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled quinoa and the salad ingredients except for the green onions. Note: make sure the quinoa and almonds are cooled to avoid melting of the goat cheese.
  3. Pour vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to coat. Top with chopped green onions.

Notes

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians.

Give this recipe a try and let us know if it’s everything you’ve dreamed of and more in a salad! 
Pinterest image for Arugula Salad with Apples, Almond, Quinoa and Goad Cheese


This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

  • Facebook323
  • Pinterest2.0K
  • Yummly
  • Email

About Stacie Hassing

Stacie is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian from rural southern Minnesota where she, her husband and daughter reside with their two pups. She’s a co-founder of The Real Food RDs and content creator of simple and wholesome recipes. She loves all kinds of fitness and has a passion to inspire as many as she can live a healthier and happier life both in and out of the kitchen - the driving force behind the co-development of the The Real Food RDs brand.

< Previous Post
Next Post >

Reader Interactions

Join the Conversation

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Veronica says

    March 5, 2017 at 6:04 pm

    I made this today – added some roasted chicken for protein and left out the cheese because I don’t do dairy. It was sooooo good and just what my body is craving right now.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      March 11, 2017 at 9:16 am

      Perfect! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  2. Fernanda Geraldes says

    August 21, 2018 at 11:19 am

    Wonderful combination! I love arugula and I was trying to find a refreshing salad.. this recipe upscale any meal!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      August 23, 2018 at 7:25 am

      Love this! Thank you for the awesome recipe review!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

The Real Food Dietitians is the passion-driven product of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Stacie Hassing and Jessica Beacom. They’ve combined their love of nutrition, health and real food with the concepts of ease and convenience to bring you recipes that are big on flavor but short on ingredients.

Free eBook

Sign up to get your FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Favorite Recipes

Eight healthy salmon meals in one photo

8 Healthy Salmon Recipes (Grilled, Baked, Sheet Pan)

Homemade Taco Seasoning mixed together in a small jar

Homemade Taco Seasoning (Whole30)

Three tall glasses of mint chocolate chip shamrock shakes topped with whipped cream and fresh mint

Mint Chocolate Chip Milkshake (Shamrock Shake Recipe)

A gluten-free banana muffins topped with chocolate chips on a freshly peeled-away muffin liner.

Gluten-Free Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips

A close view of salmon and sweet potato rounds on a sheet pan

Sheet Pan Baked Salmon with Vegetables

Shepherd's pie topped with sweet potatoes plated and ready to serve

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Free Recipe eBook

Sign up to get your FREE recipe ebook + weekly newsletter!

Follow us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Pinterest! Follow us on Twitter! Follow us on YouTube!
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Let’s Chat!
Copyright © 2021 The Real Food Dietitians Site Credits. Designed by Melissa Rose Design. Developed by Once Coupled.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT
How about a free recipe ebook?

Sign up for our newsletter and get your FREE recipe ebook delivered right to your inbox!

We respect your privacy! Your information will *never* be shared, traded or sold to a 3rd party.
  • 323
  • 2.0K