Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Kale

Concerning the Recipe

This healthful roasted butternut squash quinoa salad is the proper solution to get your veggies within the Fall and Winter months when chilly salads are lower than interesting.

It options roasted butternut squash and purple onion, roasted chickpeas, quinoa, kale, parsley, pepitas and a tangy French dressing.

It’s straightforward to customise too, you’ll be able to simply use spinach as an alternative of kale, skip the kale completely, add cranberries, feta or pomegranate or make it with wild rice or candy potato.

It’s an amazing base recipe to experiment with!

This salad holds up effectively for leftovers so it’s an amazing selection for meal prep and making forward. It may also be dressed up with pomegranates or cranberries to make it a beautiful addition to a vacation meal.

What You’ll Want

This part covers notes on elements and substitutions. Please see the printable recipe card on the finish of the put up for the complete recipe with ingredient measurements.

• Quinoa: You should utilize any number of quinoa reminiscent of white, purple or tri-colour. I wish to rinse my quinoa effectively earlier than cooking. Farro, barley or wild rice would work effectively in its place.
• Butternut Squash: You’ll want 1 medium-sized butternut squash or about 6 cups cubed. The quantity doesn’t should be actual although, so any medium-ish squash works! You can too use different varieties reminiscent of delicata squash or acorn squash.
• Pink Onion: You possibly can substitute white or yellow onion in the event you don’t have purple onion available.
• Oil: There’s some oil used for roasting in addition to within the dressing. You should utilize any impartial oil for roasting the veggies and chickpeas however I’d recommend extra-virgin olive oil for the dressing.
• Floor Herbs & Spices: You’ll want cumin, thyme, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Smoked paprika is very nice for roasted chickpeas however in the event you don’t have smoked paprika, common paprika is okay.
• Chickpeas: You’ll want 1 19 oz can of chickpeas, which is about 2 cups. The quantity doesn’t should be actual so be happy to make use of a bit extra much less relying on what you may have available.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: You’ll want this for the dressing. For those who don’t have apple cider vinegar, you’ll be able to substitue purple wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
• Maple Syrup: You’ll want a bit maple syrup to stability the acidity within the dressing. You possibly can substitute agave syrup in the event you like.
• Dijon Mustard: A tangy, grainy dijon mustard works effectively however in the event you don’t have grainy mustard available, common dijon mustard is okay.
• Parsley: You’ll want contemporary parsley.
• Kale: You’ll want contemporary kale, any selection works however I like to recommend Tuscan/Lacinato kale for salads. Child spinach or arugula are appropriate substitutes however I like kale as a result of it holds up higher for leftovers. You can too go away the kale out for a variation.
• Pumpkin Seeds: These are elective for topping. You possibly can substitute another seed or nut reminiscent of slivered almonds or walnuts. Hemp seeds or sunflower seeds additionally work effectively.

Methods to Make (with Photographs)

There are primarily 4 elements to this salad: quinoa, roasted butternut squash, roasted chickpeas and dressing.

It could appear to be there’s so much to do but it surely comes collectively in about 45 minutes together with prep time. Let’s take a take a look at the very best recipe circulation that can have you ever having fun with this healthful salad very quickly.

Cook dinner the Quinoa

First, begin the quinoa. The quinoa is made on the stovetop in about quarter-hour. Cook dinner it with the salt and garlic powder for only a bit of additional flavour.

Make the Dressing

Subsequent is the dressing and it’s straightforward! Simply combine all of the dressing elements collectively in a big mixing or serving bowl till totally mixed.

I like to combine the dressing up proper within the bowl I’ll make the salad in to avoid wasting an additional dish.

Assemble the Salad

Now you’ll be able to assemble your salad. Add the cooked quinoa, kale, parsley, roasted squash and onion, and half of the chickpeas to the bowl with the dressing and blend all of it up.

Serve with the remaining roasted chickpeas and toasted pumpkin seeds and revel in!

To toast the pumpkin seeds, both buy them toasted or add them to a dry frying pan and cook dinner for 3-4 minutes over medium-high warmth, shaking often and watching fastidiously to not burn them. They’ll puff up a bit and even pop.

Variations

• This recipe can be good with out the kale if you would like it to be extra quinoa and butternut squash than greens. I prefer it each methods.
• Candy potato works effectively instead of butternut squash.
• Strive wild rice as an alternative of quinoa.
• Add 2-3 peeled and chopped carrots or quartered Brussels sprouts with the squash and onion.
• For those who don’t have chickpeas available, strive including a can of drained and rinsed white beans.
• For different dressings, this glory bowl dressing, tahini miso dressing or tahini maple dijon dressing work effectively.
• For extra herbs, strive 2-3 tbsp of finely chopped contemporary mint and/or dill.
• Prime together with your selection of feta cheese.
• Add dried cranberries or raisins.
• Add pomegranate arils.
• Add 1-2 cups shredded purple or inexperienced cabbage.
• Add chopped walnuts or pecans.
• Add 1-2 diced apples like Granny Smith.

Methods to Retailer

• Retailer the salad for as much as 4 days in an hermetic container within the fridge.
• You possibly can eat leftovers chilly or heat them within the microwave.
• This recipe will not be appropriate for freezing.