If you’re looking for a delicious and hearty fall salad or Thanksgiving side dish, try this butternut squash quinoa salad! The salad has only 6 ingredients and is dressed in a simple maple cider vinaigrette. All the tasty, cozy vibes in this one!
You may remember I recently shared a recipe for roasted butternut squash cubes.
Well, today I’m using that squash for a quinoa salad!
Take something delicious and amp it up a notch, I say!
Seriously, though, this squash salad is a great way to mix up those holiday sides.
And, it’s not just for special meals. This butternut squash quinoa salad is great for yummy weekday lunches!
Fan of butternut squash? Check out this butternut squash sweet potato soup!
Why We Love This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
- This salad is chock-full of colourful, hearty and yummy ingredients.
- It’s a great way to mix up those Thanksgiving sides.
- This salad can be customized to taste with optional add-ins.
- Of course, it tastes super delicious!
How To Make This Recipe
Full details on how to make this fall salad are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- Season and roast the butternut squash.
- In a frying pan, cook some minced garlic in a little olive oil. Add kale and cook to wilt. I like a little bite in my kale, so I just wilt, but you can cook longer should you prefer. Once done, season with salt.
- Make a simple maple cider vinaigrette made of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, salt and black pepper.
- Place the roasted squash, sautéed kale, cooked quinoa and corn in a serving bowl (or simply combine in the same pan you cooked the kale in) and stir to combine.
- Pour over the vinaigrette and give everything another stir. That’s it!
Can I Use Another Type of Squash?
For sure! You can roast acorn squash instead. Alternatively, roasted sweet potato cubes would be lovely.
Recipe Variations
- Don’t have kale on hand? Try Swiss chard or baby spinach instead.
- If you have fresh corn, you can use that instead of canned. Try grilling before adding to the salad.
- For a pop of sweetness, add in some dried cranberries, raisins or even some diced apple.
- For extra flavour and texture, mix in some pine nuts or chopped walnuts.
More Delicious Fall Recipes
If you make this butternut squash quinoa salad, be sure to leave a comment below!
Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Roasted Squash
- 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 1-inch or so cubes (weight will be a little less after peeling)
- 2.5 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sautéed Kale
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chopped kale (bite-sized pieces, leaves only, no stems), loosely packed cups
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Vinaigrette
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- pinch salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
Other Quinoa Salad Components
- 2 cups COOKED quinoa
- 1 cup canned corn kernels, drained
Optional Add-ins
- Dried cranberries
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Chopped walnuts or pine nuts
Instructions
Roasted Squash
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Meanwhile, after you've peeled and removed seeds from the butternut squash, cut into cubes, about 1-inch or so.
- Place squash in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil, pumpkin pie spice, salt and black pepper.
- Grease a large sheet pan with the remaining ½ tablespoon of avocado oil. Place squash onto the sheet pan and spread it out in a single layer.
- Roast squash for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender, stirring halfway through cooking.
Sautéed Kale
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a 10-inch or 12-inch non-stick frying pan or skillet over medium heat.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in kale and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until just wilted. Season with salt.
Vinaigrette
- Add all ingredients to a small jar, cover and shake to combine.
Assemble the Salad With Vinaigrette
- In a serving bowl, combine the roasted butternut squash, sautéed kale, cooked quinoa and corn. Stir to combine. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and stir to incorporate. You can add optional add-ins if you like. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Valentina
Dawn, this is such a gorgeous dish! Lovely for a hearty fall dish, and so festive as the holiday season approaches. I love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Valentina! 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
A great way to enjoy butternut squash and a perfect Fall salad! Love quinoa 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thanks Jennifer! Me too!
Laura
Dawn, this is my favorite type of salad – a little ancient grain and lots of yummy veg and a completely delicious dressing! What a great idea for the Thanksgiving table!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Laura! It would make a lovely addition.
Marissa
I can’t believe there are just 6 ingredients in this gorgeous, flavor loaded salad, Dawn! So perfect for meal prep weekday lunches! Thank you for the inspiration.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Marissa! Hope you enjoy this one!
David @ Spiced
What a great idea! I’ve never thought about roasted butternut squash and then using it in another recipe – usually we just roast it and eat it like that. This salad sounds awesome – and healthy! That means I can have extra dessert, right?? 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend ahead, Dawn!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Totally! Thanks David!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
This is so my kind of salad!! I love butternut squash and I LOVE quinoa in salads!! Perfect fall salad!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Katherine!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
I’m not sure which part of this salad excites me more – the roasted butternut squash or the maple cider vinaigrette! This looks amazing, healthy and delicious! I could use this for my lunch today!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much, Kathy! It would make for a lovely lunch!