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?
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FAQs
While butternut squash skin is edible and it can even turn nice and crisp when roasted, many people prefer to peel it first so it's easier to eat. Butternut squash skin is smooth and thin and the best way to peel it is by using a sharp vegetable peeler.
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.
Why is my roasted butternut squash watery? ›
The key to avoiding watery butternut squash is to roast it rather than steam it. Steaming butternut squash causes the vegetable to absorb more water and doesn't impart much flavor. Roasting the squash prevents this and caramelizes the vegetable's natural sugars, adding another layer of flavor to your dish.
How to roast butternut squash Jamie Oliver? ›
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 is my butternut squash turning brown when I cook it? ›
As the veggies hit the boiling water, volatile acids are released into the water and are carried away in the steam. When the pot is covered, the steam and the acids it contains are forced back into the water. Once there, the acids react with the chlorophyll in the vegetables, turning them an unsightly shade of brown.
Is the skin of roasted butternut squash edible? ›
You can eat the skin, so there's no need to peel it. Simply halve it, scoop out the seeds and chop it into chunks, then roast it and add it to a warm winter salad or throw it into curries, stews or soups. You can also roast the seeds and eat them as a snack or sprinkled over a finished dish.
What is the liquid coming out of my butternut squash? ›
Butternut squash contains a sticky, sap-like substance that is released when the fruit (squash is technically a fruit) is cut.
Why do my hands feel weird after cutting butternut squash? ›
The liquid is so strong that it can harden into protective scab if the squash becomes cut or damaged—much like a tree. This sap has the same effect on skin, it creates a tough film that can feel stiff, or even itchy.
Why does my butternut squash taste weird? ›
The most likely cause for a bitter taste in squash is due to an environmental stress of some sort, most likely a wide temperature flux or irregular irrigation. Either of these will create an excess of cucurbitacins to concentrate in the fruit.
How do you give squash more flavor? ›
Brown Nicely When cooking summer squash, don't be afraid of a little browning. A nicely browned surface adds great flavor. 5. Partner Strategically Finally, balance squash's milder taste with stronger flavors like chilies, curry, ginger, garlic, lemon, goat cheese and so on.
If it's underripe, the squash won't have developed its signature taste. If it's overripe, it may be dry, mushy or flavorless.
What does it mean if butternut squash is slimy? ›
A squash with soft spots and is soft to the touch, is a sign that the squash has gone bad. And if it starts to leak fluid, that's a sure sign that the squash is spoiled. Likewise, if the flesh and seeds of the fruit are mushy and slimy, that's a clear sign that it shouldn't be eaten.
How does Gordon Ramsay cook butternut squash? ›
How does Gordon Ramsay cook butternut squash? He first tosses the butternut squash in oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper and then cooks it in the oven at 400°F for about 25 minutes.
How do you know when butternut squash is done roasting? ›
Butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes, should be perfectly roasted after about 25 to 35 minutes in an oven heated to 400 degrees F. When it's done, the squash should be lightly browned and easily pierced with a fork.
Is there a difference between roasting and baking squash? ›
Most recipes say to either bake or roast butternut squash—but what's the difference? While both cooking methods will turn the tough, raw gourd into a soft, sweet ingredient, roasting butternut squash is the more common process for achieving browned, crispy edges and a creamy interior.
Can you cook butternut squash with the skin on? ›
You can either roast butternut squash in its skin, halved, or cut into wedges. It can be served stuffed as a stunning main, as a simple side dish, stirred into risottos, pasta or salads, or blitzed into a soup. By peeling and dicing, the cubes of squash will become more caramelised, with plenty of texture.
Should skin be removed from butternut squash? ›
Use a sharp knife (or a sturdy vegetable peeler) to carefully remove the skin. Alternatively, the skin can stay on because it's edible when roasted! But if adding to a soup (or recipe where it won't be roasted), remove and discard.
Should squash be peeled before cooking? ›
Depending on what type of squash you are using you might not need to peel it, with thinner skinned squash such as butternut squash you can eat the skin. For thicker skinned squash it is often easier to cut the squash into large wedges, roast, and then peel the skin off after it's cooked when it's softer and easier.
Can you bake butternut squash whole? ›
The whole thing goes in whole, as is. Bake for 1 hour until soft. The squash is ready when a knife easily slips out when pierced and the skin starts to collapse. Allow for more time as needed, depending on the size of your squash.
