Servings
Font
Back
5.0 from 3 votes

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

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

Ingredients

  • 1  small butternut squash peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 4  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

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  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

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

% 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.