Baked Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa (2024)

Happy baked salad season! You heard me. Baked salads are in, especially in the fall and winter. It’s like fall and winter vegetables are begging to be baked – and that’s where this Baked Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa comes in. This salad has everything: tons of vegetables, a warm dressing and spicy crispy quinoa to mix into every bite. It’s amazing healthy while still being uniquely satisfying, and it’s one of my favorite kale salad recipes to make in the fall and winter months.

This recipe is a take on this agrodolce slaw recipe I made recently, using sweet agrodolce as a zippy dressing to oven-baked kale and cabbage. Everything for this recipe is cooked in the oven, and it comes out amazingly cozy and easy. Read on for more on how we’re turning this baked kale salad into the best part of warm salad season!

Ingredients you will need for this baked kale salad

So this salad is vegetable-packed, but to be honest, I think all salads should be. Here are all the ingredients you need for this baked salad:

• 12stalks lacinato kale
• 1small head of green cabbage
• 3/4cupuncooked quinoa
• 1small red onion
• 2sage sprigs
• 1rosemary sprig
• 1/4cuphoney
• 2tablespoonswater
• 1/4cupred wine vinegar
• 2tablespoonschili oil of choice,I like calabrian chili oil, Brightland’s chili oil or Momof*cku chili crunch
• Olive oil as needed
• Salt & pepper to taste

The tools for this recipe are minimal, but they are super important if you want to make the best baked kale salad. Here’s what (and why) I recommend having:

• 2 large baking sheets – There are three things you are baking in this recipe, but you’ll only need two sheets to get the job done. This is good because #1: less dishes and #2: less space is taken up on your counter. I suggest using two large baking sheets for this recipe, instead of a bunch of small ones.
• 1 small pan or saucepan – Size matters with this tool, too. You are making a very small agrodolce sauce, and instead of using a cumbersome pan to heat up your honey and vinegar, I suggest a small 8″ saucepan or a butter warmer to do this job.

The best way to make crispy cabbage

Now, I’m pretty confident I have the best way to make crispy cabbage in the oven. It does take some time and some heat, but the result is always golden brown and delicious.

**Please note, cabbage is a vegetable, and just like most vegetables, it is high in moisture. So unless you are battering it and frying it, the cabbage won’t have the same crisp that other foods might have. This means some pieces will get gold and crisp, while others will be soft and cooked through. Both will create a truly delicious baked salad!

The best way to make crispy cabbage is to crank your oven up to 450°F, coat the cabbage lightly in avocado oil and salt and pepper, and then let it roast for 20-23 minutes. You’ll be amazed at the results!

How to oven roast your kale

Kale is similar to cabbage, but it requires a lot less time. It’s a more tender green, so kale has a tendency to burn. When making this recipe, add the kale in at the end of the baking time for the cabbage. This means the kale will bake at 450°F for about 5-7 minutes – this baking process works for kale chips too!

When both of your vegetables are fully roasted – add them to a bowl to get tossed together. Having both of these creates a dream team of winter and fall vegetables!

Tips and tricks on how to make crispy quinoa

Crispy quinoa is one of my new favorite toppings, especially on a baked kale salad. Quinoa provides a good mixture of protein, carbohydrates, as well as texture in this salad and you can’t do this recipe without them.

But how do you make crispy quinoa? Great question. You essentially are taking cooked quinoa and “toasting” it so the edges get nice and crispy. Making the quinoa a perfect crunchy snack. Here are my main tips on how to do this:

• Make sure the quinoa is lightly coated in some kind of oil – this will help the crisping process immensely. The water evaporates from the tops of the quinoa, allowing some oil to enter and create that perfectly desirable crunchy texture.
• Give the quinoa room to breathe on the pan. In order for the quinoa to get crispy, it needs to let moisture evaporate. If it is piled too close together, the quinoa will steam instead of bake which does not bode well for our crispness.
• Toss the quinoa about halfway through baking. This will make sure every grain gets a chance to be perfectly toasted for this baked kale salad.

How to make the agrodolce sauce

Agrodolce is quickly becoming my favorite fall condiment. To make this, you just need a small saucepan and a few minutes. This is a sage and rosemary-infused agrodolce, but you can make a classic one if you want, it’s up to you!

To make a quick agrodolce, first thinly slice the red onion and place it in a bowl. Then whisk together the honey and water. Put the pan or small pot on medium heat and add a small splash of oil. Add in the sage leaves and the rosemary sprig. Pour in the honey mixture, it should fizz slightly, and stir until it thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Add a pinch of salt and the vinegar. Stir again and let the mixture simmer slightly for 1-2 minutes. Remove the sage and rosemary and pour this over the red onion. Stir to combine, and that’s it!

How to plate and serve this kale salad and crispy quinoa recipe

This recipe is best served with the agrodolce and vegetables messily mixed together and then piled with a huge topping of quinoa. This is the one salad recipe where it’s encouraged to go heavy on the crunch. No need to skimp on croutons here! And when it’s mixed all together? This salad is simply divine.

FAQ

Looking for similar recipes?

Here are a few vegetable-forward recipes I’ve been loving lately:

And that’s everything for this Baked Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa recipe!

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