Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

User Reviews

5.0

3 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    10 mins

  • Cook Time

    10 mins

  • Resting time

    5 mins

  • Total Time

    1 hr 5 mins

  • Servings

    4 to 6 servings

  • Calories

    394 kcal

  • Course

    Side Dish

  • Cuisine

    American

Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

A hearty warm quinoa salad that can be served as an entree or a Thanksgiving side dish. It is super fulfilling, flavorful, full of textures, and loaded with healthy ingredients like squash, apples, and pomegranate

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Ingredients

Servings
  • small butternut squash peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
  • 1 persimmon peeled and chopped
  • 1 apple chopped
  • pomegranate seeds
  • Italian parsley leaves optional
  • salt and pepper
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Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Place the butternut squash on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the quinoa to the pan and toast for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the chicken or vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and cover the pan; cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid. Take the pan off the heat and allow the quinoa to rest for 5 minutes covered. Fluff with a fork.
  5. Transfer the quinoa to a large serving dish. Gently fold in butternut squash, persimmon, apple, pomegranate seeds, and parsley, if using. Drizzle the salad with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

  • Optional Variations:
  • Expert Tips:
  • Rinse the quinoa, or look for a bag that clearly states the quinoa has been pre-rinsed (e.g. Costco's Kirkland brand) to cut out a step. Quinoa is naturally coated in a bitter-tasting compound known as saponin to protect it from critters. While it's effective pest control, it's not super pleasant to taste, so rinse it thoroughly before toasting and simmering.
  • Vegan Quinoa Salad - Make this a purely plant-based dish by swapping in veggie broth.
  • Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad - Sweet potatoes (or yams) make for a wonderful squash replacement!
  • Optional Add-Ins - Bulk up your salad as needed to make it hearty enough to be an entrée. Here are some of my favorite additions:

    Crumbled Feta or Goat's Cheese Shredded Leftover Turkey or Chicken Toasted Nuts or Roasted Pepitas Maple Syrup Chipotle Roasted Brussels Sprouts Peppery Arugula or Massaged Kale

  • Crumbled Feta or Goat's Cheese
  • Shredded Leftover Turkey or Chicken
  • Toasted Nuts or Roasted Pepitas
  • Maple Syrup Chipotle Roasted Brussels Sprouts
  • Peppery Arugula or Massaged Kale
  • Rinse the quinoa, or look for a bag that clearly states the quinoa has been pre-rinsed (e.g. Costco's Kirkland brand) to cut out a step. Quinoa is naturally coated in a bitter-tasting compound known as saponin to protect it from critters. While it's effective pest control, it's not super pleasant to taste, so rinse it thoroughly before toasting and simmering.
  • Toast the quinoa to deepen the flavor. This is similar to what I do for making my arroz and fideo, and it adds so much depth. Plus, it just takes a few minutes!
  • Look for pre-chopped squash in the refrigerated section of the produce aisle or in the freezer section to cut down on prep work. Pro Tip: You can roast veggies directly from frozen!

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 394kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 57g (19%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Sodium 480mg (20%) Potassium 948mg (27%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 20206IU (404%) Vitamin C 41mg (46%) Calcium 113mg (11%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4to 6 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 394 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 394kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 57g 19%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Sodium 480mg 20%
Potassium 948mg 20%
Fiber 8g 32%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 20206IU 404%
Vitamin C 41mg 46%
Calcium 113mg 11%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Overall Rating

5.0

3 reviews
Excellent

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