Hey guys! I’m excited to share a new easy (and portable) lunch recipe with you today: Kale and Quinoa Salad with Soft Boiled Eggs. As you probably know, two of my favorite things are filling grain & veggie salads (see also: my Mix & Match Grain Salad recipes) and eggs with runny yolks. This recipe has both – and it’s really easy to make ahead and pack up, so it’s perfect for busy weekdays, too!
This salad is really versatile and it holds up really well in the fridge for a few days as well thanks to the hearty kale (rather than more delicate greens)! The combination of quinoa, tons of veggies, a simple dijon vinaigrette, decadent runny egg yolk, and salty feta cheese makes for a super satisfying lunch. It’s got a great mixture of flavors, textures, and colors to keep you from getting bored with a #saddesklunch, and all the protein and fiber helps keep you full so you don’t end up hangry an hour later, either. Feel free to mix up the veggies and quantities based on your taste and favorites – you don’t have to follow the recipe exactly!
I usually eat fried eggs with runny yolks for breakfast (runny yolk eggs and bubbly are probably the two things I missed most while I was pregnant), but when I learned that soft-boiled eggs can be made in advance, I had to test them out for lunch! I think kale salads are even better when dressed a day in advance anyway, so a make-ahead kale salad with soft-boiled eggs was definitely the way to go.
The result is amazing! The kale softens overnight in the garlic-dijon vinaigrette while the other veggies stay crisp, and the soft-boiled eggs add creamy richness and satisfying protein. I’m pretty much obsessed with soft-boiled eggs on salad now. And in general. Definitely doing soft instead of hard boiled eggs for snacks, now, too! A bit messier as a snack but worth it. :)
You can easily prep these salads several days in advance, making them perfect for busy weekdays (and new mothers!). Just chop the veggies, boil the eggs, cook the quinoa (or use 90 second brown rice, if you prefer), and shake up the dressing at the beginning of the week. The night before you want to eat some, massage the veggies with dressing, and add quinoa, eggs, and cheese.
Here’s the full recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale, chopped
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup broccoli slaw
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
For the dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
Instructions
- To soft boil the eggs: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Gently lower the eggs into the water with a spoon and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for 6 minutes and remove with a spoon to a strainer. Run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Peel any eggs that you'll use in the next day or two, and keep any remaining eggs in-shell to peel the night before use.
- For the dressing: shake all dressing ingredients in a small jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
- To assemble: Divide the kale, cabbage, broccoli slaw, and bell peppers into four containers.
- The night before you're planning to have a salad for lunch (or the morning of), drizzle 1/4 of the dressing on the veggies and massage to coat. Add 1/4 of the cooked quinoa, 1 soft boiled egg, and 1/4 of the feta.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- I've found that the easiest way to peel eggs cleanly is under cool running water! The running water gets in between the shell and the egg to keep the shell from sticking. This especially works if the egg is fresh out of hot water, but in order to keep soft-boiled eggs fresh, only peel them up to about 2 days in advance. Any remaining soft-boiled eggs will keep in-shell for up to a week.
Looking for more easy packable lunch ideas? Here are some of my favorites!
- Mix & Match Grain Salads
- Mix & Match Healthy Sandwiches
- Mason Jar Kale Salad
- Healthy Tuna Salad
- Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
Have you ever made soft boiled eggs in advance? It’s now one of my favorite kitchen hacks!
Looks delicious! I’m gonna try it! I’ve been obsessed with putting red cabbage on my salads recently- pretty AND crunchy ;)
I LOVE the crunch!
YUM! I think that I might need to make this tonight. This looks amazing! Thanks for sharing.
Yay! Let me know how you like it!
This looks like such an awesome recipe with amazing flavors and textures! I need to make some soft boiled eggs now to keep on hand. They look so good!
What a great idea! I’m obsessed with eggs in all forms – have to give soft boiled a try. :-)
I keep meaning to try making soft boiled eggs in the IP. I love runny yolks and hate hard boiled eggs so maybe this will be the best of all worlds for me!!
It sounds like it definitely would be!
I just had to let you know that you converted me into a runny egg yolk lover! Haha! I used to make my fried eggs with a firm, fully cooked yolk, but not anymore. You are right, it’s the best!
Definitely want to try the soft boiled eggs with salad. I grew up with a lot of Korean soups that had soft boiled eggs and I love it, but I never thought to add it to my salad.
Yesss! Runny yolks FTW!
That looks wonderful! Thanks!
I think you’ve done a wonderful job!
I made this last night and it was fantastic (will definitely make it again!!), but I have a question. I used kale, but, because I’m not a huge kale fan, I steamed it with the quinoa for several minutes to soften it up and take away a bit of the bite. It turned out well but does steaming the kale take away some of its nutritional value?
Nope! So glad you enjoyed it and that you found a way to make the recipe work best for you! You could also make it with another green next time – spinach, arugula, or mixed greens would work well here too! Just add the dressing right before eating it, though, if you aren’t using kale – other greens will get soggy if you do the dressing in advance!