Description
A colorful and flavorful salad featuring roasted butternut squash, tart cranberries, and nutty quinoa, perfect for a main or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup cranberries (dried or fresh)
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
- 2 cups mixed greens or spinach
- 1/4 cup feta cheese (optional)
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel and cube the butternut squash into roughly 1-inch pieces.
- Toss the cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until tender and golden.
- While the squash roasts, rinse quinoa under cold water. Bring vegetable broth to a boil, add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until fluffy.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted squash, cranberries, diced red onion, and maple syrup if using. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, and toss gently. Serve over mixed greens or spinach, topped with feta and walnuts if desired.
Notes
Ensure even-sized squash cubes for even roasting. Rinse quinoa to remove bitterness and adjust sweetness based on cranberries’ tartness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 5mg