Roasted butternut squash quinoa salad is the quintessential fall salad, and also makes a perfect Thanksgiving side dish!
Fluffy quinoa gets a fall makeover! This roasted butternut squash quinoa salad is full of every fall ingredient I could get my hands on.
I love cooking withquinoa. Not only is it good for you - being a complex carb and all - but I find that it's much easier to prepare than regular long-grain rice. Here's the sad truth: I had to invest in a rice cooker.
Every time I try to make rice on the stovetop, it ends up mushy in a pool of liquid, with the exception of thiscranberry orange rice pilaf- the rice gods had my back that day.
I've tried every trick in the book and followed every bit of advice from friends and family, but my rice skills refused to improve. So, I bought a rice cooker. Now life is one giant peach!
With quinoa, I don't have to travel to the depths of the basem*nt pantry to dig out my rice cooker. I just rinse it, toast it, and simmer until light and fluffy. It turns out great every. single. time.
Good-bye rice. Hello, quinoa!
I loaded thisquinoa saladwith every fall ingredient at my disposal. I even added a little something special: pomegranate seeds.
I worked very hard to remove the pomegranate arils from my pomegranate, like, too hard. I tried breaking it apart, plucking out each individual pomegranate--which resulted in a ruined shirt and splattered walls--and beating the pomegranate in order to loosen the arils, but nothing worked.
Yes, they're POM Wonderful, but they're also a big POM in the booty. My suggestion: by the pre-seeded package of pomegranate seeds. Problem solved!
Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad Ingredients
- Butternut squash - Peel and chop into cubes roughly 1/2" in size before roasting
- Olive oil - Oil is drizzled over the squash and used to toast the quinoa
- Quinoa - Delicious, hearty quinoa is the star of this salad
- Chicken or veggie stock - Opt for the vegetable stock to make this dish truly vegetarian
- Dried cranberries - Don't love cranberris? Try golden raisins or dried cherries instead!
- Chopped parsley - Fresh parsley is best, but used dried if that's all you can find
- Scallions - The mild onion flavor of scallions perfectly balance this dish
- Pumpkin seeds - Save and clean them when carving pumpkins or find them at the grocery store in the nuts/seeds section
- Feta cheese- Feta lends a brightness and just a tiny hint of tartness to this salad
- Pomegranate seeds - To save time, buy pomegranate seeds separately at the grocey store
- Salt and pepper - To season the final dish
- Pomegrante molasses - You can makepomegrante molasses homemade or find it at the grocery store
This quinoa salad screamsfall! And, it just so happens to be gluten-free (again, thank you, quinoa) andvegetarian.
The roasted butternut squash gets folded into the fluffy quinoa with the addition of dried cranberries, roasted pumpkin seeds, fresh parsley, scallions, and salty feta cheese.
I couldn't stop scooping forkfuls of this salad right into my face. If you love quinoa and fall squash, I also highly recommend thissausage & quinoa stuffed acorn squash.
How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
- Place peeled and chopped butternut squash on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet, then add the quinoa and toast.
- Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil then simmer, covered for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove quinoa from the heat, keep covered for another 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork.
- Transfer quinoa to a large bowl. Fold in roasted squash, cranberries, parsley, scallions, pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, and pomegrante seeds.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with pomegrante molasses.
What to Serve with Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
This quinoa salad is hearty enough and packed with enough wholesome nutrition to stand as a meal on its own. Or you can serve it as a dinner side dish or add it to your Thanksgiving menu. Here are a few pairing suggestions:
- Slow cooker meatloaf
- Slow cooker turkey breast
- Instant Pot turkey with mushroom gravy
- Dutch oven roast chicken with lemon
- Roasted tahini maple sweet potatoes
- Instant Pot pork tenderloin
Planning a dinner party and need some inspiration?
How about looking for a new slow cooker dinner idea?
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FAQs
Learn how to roast butternut squash the EASY WAY without any prep work. No pre-peeling, chopping or deseeding (yes really!). Just whole-roast it in the oven until soft and tender.
Why is my roasted butternut squash mushy? ›
Squashes behave very differently when cooked in the oven or on the stovetop. Generally, a squash that is roasted in the oven is going to have a much softer texture, one that can get mushy if mixed with other ingredients, but making it ideal for a purée, soup, or being mashed.
Can I eat cold butternut squash? ›
Not only is roasted butternut squash a perfect side dish, it's perfect to add to rice bowls or to top hearty salads. We enjoy it cold and often save some for the following day to add to salad for lunch. If you've got lots leftover, make soup.
How much quinoa per person? ›
How to cook quinoa perfectly every time. You'll need about 50g of quinoa per person (make sure to rinse it first) and chicken or vegetable stock. We can't emphasise using stock enough. It really makes a difference to the flavour, yet is subtle enough not to distract from your final dish.
How to prepare butternut squash for roasting? ›
Prep: Peel and cube the butternut squash. Season: Toss the butternut squash cubes with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Roast: Arrange the seasoned cubes on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven until the squash is lightly browned and tender.
How do you roast butternut squash Jamie Oliver? ›
Method. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Wash and dry the whole squash, then place on a baking tray. Pierce once or twice with the tip of a sharp knife, then bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until golden and very soft.
Why do my fingers feel weird after cutting butternut squash? ›
A quick Google search reveals that this is a common reaction many people have to handling peeled butternut (and acorn) squash. Butternut squash contains a sticky, sap-like substance that is released when the fruit (squash is technically a fruit) is cut.
Why does my skin feel weird after touching butternut squash? ›
Food handlers and kitchen workers often take precautions to wear rubber or latex gloves when peeling butternut and acorn squash to avoid temporary butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) dermatitis A contact dermatitis reaction to butternut or acorn squash may result in orange and cracked skin, a sensation of "tightness" ...
Can dogs have butternut squash? ›
Generally, butternut squash is safe to feed to most pooches, unless your vet has advised otherwise. As a guide, we would recommend feeding small dogs no more than 1 or 2 teaspoons of butternut squash, whilst bigger dogs can eat up to 3 or 4 tablespoons of butternut squash.
When should you not eat butternut squash? ›
Butternut squash is meant to be stored for months but doesn't last indefinitely. Keep your eye out for any brown spots or blemishes; these can indicate the start of spoiling. Any soft spots or slimy areas are also a sign that your squash has gone bad.
The ideal temperature for butternut squash (and any winter squash) is between 50℉ and 60℉, so a cool pantry or cellar would work best. Do not store whole squash in the refrigerator as the cold temperatures don't increase the shelf life and could affect the texture.
What are 3 ways you can eat butternut squash? ›
7 ways to cook with butternut squash
- Butternut squash soup. ...
- Spicy squash and spinach soup. ...
- Roasted butternut squash. ...
- Butternut squash laksa. ...
- Moroccan-spiced tomato sauce with roast vegetables and chickpeas. ...
- Beef and butternut squash moussaka. ...
- Chilled toffee apple creams.
You can eat one-two cups of cooked quinoa in a day. You should avoid eating it if you experience stomachache, itchiness or vomiting after consuming it. A study by Harvard Public School of Health has reported that eating a bowl of quinoa daily is healthy and without any side effects.
How do you make quinoa taste good? ›
Cook in vegetable, beef, or chicken broth: Cooking quinoa in vegetable, beef, or chicken stock is probably the easiest way to flavor it. You can simply swap the water with your choice of stock and use the same amount to cook your quinoa. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can also use half water and half stock.
Is 1 cup of quinoa enough for 2 people? ›
And it's a good source of protein and fiber, to boot. Like rice, quinoa grows in size as it cooks; culinary and health experts alike tend to agree that 1/4 cup of uncooked quinoa is enough for one person.
Do you remove skin from butternut squash before cooking? ›
Can You Eat Butternut Squash Skin? It's important to note that while many people choose to remove butternut squash skin (and this is best practice for soup making, where you want smooth results), you can 100% eat roasted butternut squash skin. Slice butternut squash into crescents and roast it with the skin on.
Is it best to peel squash before cooking? ›
Some squash skin is edible, while other types of squash have tough skin that can be removed before cooking. Remove the skin of butternut, hubbard, buttercup, and turban squash. If you enjoy the taste, leave the skin on acorn, spaghetti, kabocha, and zucchini squash.
