Here’s a lovely, vegetable-forward Thanksgiving centerpiece – an alternative to plant-based roasts – for your holiday table.
No surprise, this recipe is ideal for stovetop, Fagor LUX multicooker, Instant Pot, or electric pressure cooking. But if pressure cooking isn’t your thing, no worries. Simply follow the quinoa cooking instructions on the package and then opt for cooking it with the dried cherries (you’ll want to add a little more water) or rehydrate the cherries in hot water while the quinoa is cooking and then combine cherries with the quinoa when you’re adding the pecans and spices.
While terrific warm, this is a great cold dish to pack up if you’re a guest at a Thanksgiving gathering. Make it the quinoa and cherries the day before. Right before you head out, toss it with the arugula and lemon juice.
If serving this colorful salad as an entree (quinoa is an honorary legume!) this will serve four. If as a side, it serves about six. We’ll be having it as a side for our Thanksgiving Dinner and a Movie themed day (details below). But let’s get to the recipe, first:
Warm Nutty Quinoa and Cherry Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
- 2 cups water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries or 1/2 cup each
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 5 ounces fresh arugula
- 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice app. one medium lemon
Instructions
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Add water, quinoa, cherries and salt to a pressure cooker, Fagor LUX multicooker or and Instant Pot). Cover and cook for 1 minute on high pressure (choose pressure cook on the Fagor LUX and choose manual on the Instant Pot). Use a natural release (release after 10 minutes).
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Chop pecans.
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Add pecans, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the quinoa and cherries. Gently combine, fluffing the quinoa.
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Place arugula in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss with tongs. Transfer to a large plate or serving platter. Spoons hot quinoa over middle of the plate (allowing lots of arugula to splay out (we eat with our eyes first and we want to see those leafy greens!).
4 thoughts on “Warm Nutty Quinoa and Cherry Salad”
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This looks so good, JL! I am also doing a pre-made roast this year. We are traveling, and I just know I’m going to be beat by the time we get up to Asheville and start cooking.
Thank goodness vegan food is so fast and easy to make, right? Safe travels, @beckystriepe:disqus !
This looks delicious! And I agree that people need to eat their greens on Thanksgiving! All the plates I see on IG are all brown.
You are SO RIGHT, @diannewenz:disqus ! We need color!