Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad is bursting with fall flavors, making it the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or even a healthy tailgate!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butternut squash, fall recipe, feta cheese, friendsgiving, healthy recipe, healthy side dish, quinoa salad, thanksgiving side dish
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 216kcal
Roasted Veggies
- 2.5 cups butternut squash cut into 1/2" cubes (about 1/2 butternut squash)
- 1.5 cups red onion chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- Pinch of salt
Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked, rinsed
- 2 cups water
Mix-Ins
- 1/3 cup dried cherries unsweetened, if available
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 Tbsp feta cheese crumbles
Dressing
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tsp raw honey
- Dash of ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Add the cut up butternut squash and red onion to a large bowl. Season with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Toss to coat, then transfer to a baking sheet (line with foil or parchment paper sprayed with nonstick spray to minimize clean up).
Bake for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, add 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water to a small saucepan. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, let the quinoa sit for 2 minutes then fluff with a fork.
To make the dressing, mix 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp of olive oil, raw honey, and ground cinnamon in a small dish. Stir to combine.
To a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa, butternut squash, red onion, dried cherries, pepitas, parsley, feta cheese, and prepared dressing. Gently toss to mix everything together.
You can serve this quinoa salad hot, or cold after refrigeration.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 344mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5005IU | Vitamin C: 13.9mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1.7mg