This Quinoa and Butternut Squash Salad is crunchy, hearty, and full of fall flavors. The quinoa is tossed in a spicy chili sauce and baked until crispy, creating a deliciously crunchy contrast with the fall flavors of butternut squash, creamy green dressing, and power greens.
You guys loved our Roasted Butternut Squash and Blackberry Harvest Salad so much that I knew I had to make another Butternut Squash Salad this fall. However, this time we wanted to include our new obsession: crunchy quinoa! And let me tell you, the flavor and texture of this salad is fall heaven! If you have leftover cooked quinoa, this is a great way to use it up.
This recipe calls for quinoa, preferably cooked, as it will crisp up in the oven with the butternut squash. But you can always cook it fresh. All that’s left to do is make the dressing and toss! It’s a very simple recipe, but the taste is the key.
What you need to make quinoa and butternut squash salad
Cooked Quinoa: Use cold quinoa if possible. This recipe is perfect for leftover quinoa for that very reason. Chili Crunch: Stir this into quinoa before baking to create a spicy, crunchy coating. It’s very good. Butternut squash: This also roasts to crisp perfection and adds a sweet, nutty flavor to the salad. Power Green Mix: I used a mix of baby kale, spinach, arugula, and kale in this recipe, but you can use any vegetable you like. Greek yogurt: Makes a creamy dressing. Greek yogurt adds a tangy, protein-rich element. Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise adds richness to dressings and provides healthy fats to salads. Fresh Herbs: We used fresh tarragon and thyme leaves to give the dressing a bright herbal flavor. Green onions: Add a punch of flavor to your dressing and enhance the overall flavor of your salad. Lemon Juice: Every salad dressing needs a little bit of acidity. Mini blender: You will need a mini blender to make creamy dressings.
topping
golden raisins goat cheese pumpkin seeds
This recipe favors cold-cooked quinoa. This is because when mixed with dressing and baked with butternut squash, it holds its shape well and doesn’t turn mushy.
If you need to cook the quinoa the same day, let it cool completely before using.
It depends on your preference! We like to use Momofuku or Trader Joe’s brand Chili Crunch, but you can use other brands or make your own at home. Make sure it has enough spice and crunch to add to your salad.
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How to make quinoa and butternut squash salad
Prepare the quinoa: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, transfer the cooked quinoa to the lined baking sheet, add the chili crunch and stir until all the quinoa is coated. Spread in an even layer on a cookie sheet. Prepare vegetables: Place butternut squash, onion, garlic, olive oil, and sea salt on a separate baking sheet. Bake: Transfer both baking sheets to the oven. Place the quinoa on the top shelf and the butternut squash on the bottom shelf. Bake both baking sheets for 40-50 minutes or until the quinoa is crispy and the butternut squash is cooked through. Make the dressing: While everything is baking, combine all the dressing ingredients in a small blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and set aside. Assemble and serve: Remove baking sheet from oven and evenly distribute quinoa and vegetables among 4 to 6 bowls. Add a handful of vegetables to each bowl and top with golden raisins, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, and dressing. Serve immediately.
The dressing for this salad will naturally be thin. If you want a thicker dressing, we recommend adding 3-4 tablespoons of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.
Here’s a hint!
We recommend tossing the quinoa every 20 minutes while baking to ensure even crispiness.
This quinoa and butternut squash salad will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. To keep everything fresh and crispy, leave the dressing aside and add it right before serving.
offer suggestions
When I think of butternut quinoa salad, I think of other fall recipes like this Creamy Pumpkin Wild Rice Soup and Pumpkin Chili. You can also buy butternut squash in bulk and enjoy complete butternut squash-themed meals like butternut squash risotto, butternut squash macaroni and cheese, and butternut squash lasagna. delicious!
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the cooked quinoa to a lined baking sheet and add the chili crunch. Stir until all of the quinoa is coated with chile crunch. Spread the quinoa in an even layer on the cookie sheet.
On a separate baking sheet, combine the butternut squash, onion, garlic, olive oil, and sea salt.
Transfer both baking sheets to the oven. Place the quinoa on the top shelf and the butternut squash on the bottom shelf. Bake both baking sheets for 40-50 minutes or until the quinoa is crispy and the butternut squash is cooked through. We recommend tossing the quinoa every 20 minutes.
While everything is baking, prepare the dressing. Place all dressing ingredients in a small blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Set it aside. *
When ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven.
Distribute quinoa and vegetables evenly among 4 to 6 bowls. Add a handful of vegetables to each bowl and top with golden raisins, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, and dressing.
Serve immediately.
You can use any green salad mix. Choose your favorite mix! I recommend using leftover chilled quinoa. However, you can also prepare this salad right before making it. The dressing on this salad is light. If you want a thicker dressing, we recommend adding 3-4 tablespoons of mayonnaise.
calorie: 359 kcal, carbohydrates: 42 g, protein: 12 g, fat: 18 g, fiber: 6 g, sugar: 13 g
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should only be used as a rough guide.
Photos: The photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wood Skillet.
