Quinoa Butternut Squash Salad
This quinoa butternut squash salad combines roasted squash, tender quinoa, crisp apples, dried cherries, and feta in a bright vinaigrette. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s fresh, colorful, and tastes special without any fuss.
Servings 8 servings
Calories 504kcal
Equipment
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
Roasted squash:
- 3 cups butternut squash peeled, seeds removed and diced into ½ inch pieces (unpeeled honey nut squash is also awesome!)
- 1 cup shallots thinly sliced, about 2 medium shallots
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh sage chopped or 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salad:
- 8 ounces quinoa cooked per package directions
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- ¾ cup dried cherries roughly chopped
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 2 cups SnapDragon apples diced
- 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Dressing:
- 6 Tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 Teaspoons grainy mustard
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- Pinch Kosher salt
- Pinch ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and line a sheet pan with parchment.
- In a large bowl, combine squash, shallots, olive oil, sage, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss until the vegetables are fully coated and spread in a single layer on the prepared pan.
- Roast for 10 minutes, flip the vegetables and roast for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
- While the vegetables cook, combine champagne vinegar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Use an immersion blender to mix the ingredients and while the mixer is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is creamy and well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, walnuts, dried cherries, feta cheese, apples, parsley and the roasted squash mixture. Drizzle with ¾ of the dressing and toss until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings and add more dressing if needed. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Cut the squash evenly, so it roasts evenly.
- Toast the nuts for extra crunch and flavor.
- Dress lightly first and add more if needed. It’s easier to build up than to fix an overdressed salad.
- Serve warm or cold. This quinoa squash salad is tasty right after roasting while still warm, and just as good chilled straight from the fridge.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Cook the quinoa, roast the squash, and whisk the dressing a day or two in advance.
- Leftovers and storage- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The apples may soften slightly, but the flavors remain bright.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 544mg | Potassium: 550mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 6200IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 3mg