Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
Delicious and nutritious, this Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad is easy to make and perfect for meal prepping. Make as side dish or serve it as a main for lunch. This beautiful, nutrient packed salad is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or just because.
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, cut into ½" cubes
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 ¾ cups chicken stock
- 2 cups kale rinsed, rough chopped
- ¼ cup red onion small diced
- ½ cup cried cranberries
- 1 cup whole walnuts toasted
Orange Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
I always use Kosher salt in my kitchen! If using table salt, start with half the amount and adjust to taste, as it is much "saltier" by volume.
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rinse, peel and scoop out the seeds of the butternut squash. Cut into ½-inch cubes.
- Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle over 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper, toss to evenly coat. Spread out to an even layer. Place in oven and roast for 15 minutes, stir then continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes or until tender.
- Rinse and drain quinoa.Add the rinsed quinoa to a medium saucepan. Add the chicken stock and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pan, bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and let the quinoa set, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff.
- In a medium bowl whisk together all of the vinaigrette ingredients. Set aside.
- Assemble salad by adding the cooked quinoa, kale, walnuts, cranberries, roasted butternut squash and red onion to a large bowl. Mix well. Drizzle in half of the vinaigrette, mix well, taste and add more if desired. I use about ¾ of the vinaigrette for this salad. Enjoy!
Notes
This salad makes 4 large portions or 8 smaller portions.
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