Quinoa and Seed Power Salad with Dried Fruit

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-09 · Updated 2026-04-09

A nutrient-dense salad featuring fluffy quinoa, toasted seeds, and sweet dried fruit for sustained energy. This Healthy-inspired vegetarian recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs quinoa, water, pumpkin seeds for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add 1 cup rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy; remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2. Step 2: While quinoa cooks, toast 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds and 1/4 cup sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring constantly; transfer to a plate to cool.
3. Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Add cooled quinoa, toasted seeds, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, and 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley; toss gently until evenly coated.