We’re jumping on the ‘hot honey’ trend and we are not mad about it!
Inspired by a recent New York Times recipe, we put our own WOT twist on this Quinoa and Broccoli Salad with Hot Honey Vinaigrette. Embracing the trend of hot honey, readily available in most grocery stores, we infused that sweet heat into the vinaigrette, and it does not disappoint! If you don’t have hot honey, regular honey works great, too!
This salad holds up beautifully, making it perfect to make ahead in the morning for gatherings like cookouts or picnics. This salad is tasty on its own, but we suggest you pair it with these Seared Chicken Thighs in Garlic & Herb Sauce to make it extra hearty.
Quinoa and Broccoli Salad with Hot Honey Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 lemon, zest, and juice
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp hot honey or regular honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 large head of broccoli
- 1 Honeycrisp apple
- 4 oz brick-style cheddar cheese
- ½ cup salted cashews, crushed
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Season water with salt and cook the quinoa until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh strainer, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Zest the lemon and add to a small mixing bowl. Cut the lemon in half and the juice from half the lemon to the mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, Dijon mustard, hot honey, and apple cider vinegar to the bowl. Whisk to combine and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Trim the broccoli using the florets portion of the brunch. Finely chop the florets and set aside. (The Stems can be reserved or frozen for another use.)
- Core the apple and finely dice it. Add the diced apple to a small bowl and juice the other half of the lemon over them. Stir to combine and set aside. This step helps the apple not brown.
- Dice the cheddar cheese and set aside.
- In a large serving bowl, add all the cooked and cooled quinoa, the finely chopped broccoli florets, and the diced apple. Pour half of the dressing over the mixture and toss to combine. Pour the balance or desired amount of the dressing over the salad and toss again.
- Add the diced cheese, crushed cashews, and dried cranberries to the top of the salad and serve. *This can be made easily 8 hours in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Enjoy!
Making this recipe? Be sure and share it with us on the WOT Instagram or on Facebook!
All photos by Lorianne DeVita