This Quinoa and Butternut Squash Salad delivers numerous crunch and hearty fall taste. The quinoa is tossed in spicy chili crunch sauce and baked till crispy, providing a deliciously crunchy distinction to the autumn flavors of the butternut squash, creamy inexperienced dressing, and energy greens.
You guys completely LOVED our Roasted Butternut Squash and Blackberry Harvest Salad, so we knew we needed to make one other butternut squash salad this fall — besides this time we needed to incorporate our new obsession, CRUNCHY QUINOA! And let me let you know, the flavors and textures of this salad are whole autumn heaven! If you happen to’ve bought any leftover cooked quinoa, it’s the right approach to put it to make use of.
You’ll ideally want some cooked quinoa for this recipe, because it will get baked within the oven with the butternut squash to crisp it up. However you possibly can at all times cook dinner some up contemporary. After that, simply make the dressing and toss all of it collectively! It’s a reasonably easy recipe with a giant taste recreation.
What You Have to Make Quinoa and Butternut Squash Salad
- Cooked quinoa: Use chilly quinoa for those who can! This recipe is nice for leftover quinoa for that precise cause.
- Chili crunch: This will get blended into the quinoa earlier than baking to create a spicy, crispy coating. It’s SO, so good.
- Butternut squash: This additionally will get baked to crispy perfection and provides a candy, nutty taste to the salad.
- Energy greens combine: We used a mixture of child kale, spinach, arugula, and kale on this recipe, however you’re welcome to make use of your favourite greens.
- Greek yogurt: To make the creamy dressing. Greek yogurt provides a tangy, protein-packed component.
- Mayonnaise: Mayo provides richness to the dressing, giving this salad some wholesome fat.
- Contemporary herbs: We used contemporary tarragon and thyme leaves to offer the dressing a brilliant, herby taste.
- Inexperienced onions: Provides a punch of taste to the dressing to raise the general style of the salad.
- Lemon juice: Each salad dressing wants a little bit of acidity!
- Small blender: You’ll want a small blender to make the creamy dressing.
Toppings
- Golden raisins
- Goat cheese
- Pumpkin seeds
Chilly-cooked quinoa is most popular on this recipe as a result of it’ll maintain its form higher and never get mushy when blended with the dressing and baked with the butternut squash.
If you have to cook dinner quinoa the identical day, simply be sure to let it cool utterly earlier than utilizing.
It will depend on your style! We like to make use of Momofuku or Dealer Joe’s model chili crunch, however you may also use every other model or make your individual at residence. Simply be sure it has a great quantity of spice and crunch so as to add to the salad!
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Beast Blender
The Beast Blender is our go-to blender for smoothies, dips, soups, and every little thing in between. It’s the right measurement and reasonably priced. Oh, and oh-so highly effective!
Tips on how to Make Quinoa and Butternut Squash Salad
- Prep Quinoa: Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Subsequent, switch the cooked quinoa to the lined baking sheet and add the chili crunch, stirring till all the quinoa is coated. Unfold into an excellent layer over the parchment paper.
- Prep Veggies: Toss the butternut squash, onion, garlic, olive oil, and sea salt on a separate baking sheet.
- Bake: Switch each baking sheets to the oven. Place the quinoa on the highest shelf and the butternut squash on the shelf beneath. Prepare dinner each baking sheets for 40-50 minutes or till the quinoa is crispy and the butternut squash is cooked via.
- Make Dressing: Whereas every little thing bakes, mix all the dressing elements in a small blender or meals processor. Mix till clean, then put aside.
- Assemble & Serve: Take away the baking sheets from the oven and evenly distribute the quinoa and greens into 4-6 bowls. Add a handful of greens to every bowl and high every little thing with golden raisins, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, and dressing. Serve instantly and luxuriate in!
The dressing for this salad is of course going to be thinner. In case you are in search of a thicker dressing, we advocate including 3-4 additional tablespoons of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.
right here’s a tip!
We advocate tossing the quinoa each 20ish minutes whereas it bakes to make sure that it will get evenly crispy.
This quinoa and butternut squash salad could be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days. To maintain every little thing contemporary and crisp, depart the dressing on the aspect and add it simply earlier than serving.
Serving Ideas
After I consider butternut quinoa salad, I consider different fall recipes like this Creamy Pumpkin Wild Rice Soup or Pumpkin Chili. You can too purchase some butternut squash in bulk and have an entire butternut squash-themed meal that includes this Butternut Squash Risotto, Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, or Butternut Squash Lasagna. Delish!
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Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Switch the cooked quinoa to the lined baking sheet and add the chili crunch. Stir till all the quinoa is coated with chili crunch. Evenly unfold the quinoa into one evenly layer over the parchment paper.
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On a separate baking sheet, toss the butternut squash, onion, garlic, olive oil, and sea salt.
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Switch each baking sheets to the oven. Place the quinoa on the highest shelf and the butternut squash on the shelf beneath. Prepare dinner each baking sheets for 40-50 minutes or till the quinoa is crispy and the butternut squash is cooked via. We advocate tossing the quinoa each 20-ish minutes.
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Whereas every little thing is baking, put together the dressing. Place all the dressing elements in a small blender or meals processor. Mix till clean. Put aside.*
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Take away the baking sheets from the oven when prepared.
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Evenly distribute the quinoa and greens into 4-6 bowls. Add a handful of greens to every bowl and high every little thing with golden raisins, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, and dressing.
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Serve instantly.
- Any inexperienced salad combine will work. Select your favourite combine!
- We advocate utilizing leftover, chilly quinoa. Nevertheless, you may also put together it proper earlier than making this salad.
- The dressing for this salad is thinner. In case you are in search of a thick dressing, we advocate including 3-4 additional tablespoons of mayonnaise.
Energy: 359 kcal, Carbohydrates: 42 g, Protein: 12 g, Fats: 18 g, Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 13 g
Vitamin info is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
Pictures: images taken on this put up are by Erin from The Wood Skillet.
