OK, true story. When we made this salad I put it in the refrigerator to keep. Our son asked if he could have some to which we of course said yes. When we came back it was entirely gone. He said he couldn’t help himself it was so good, and with that we present this week’s lunch. Butternut squash is in season so this is salad truly does use what’s available. Squash is great because it lasts a long time. You can get them pretty much all year long, but right now they are plentiful and a good price. This salad showcases the sweetness that you get when you roast the squash. Paired with pumpkins seeds and raisins, this salad has a slightly sweet taste that goes well with quinoa.
Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad
Course: LunchCuisine: VeganDifficulty: Easy4
servings25
minutes20
minutes25
minutesIngredients
- For the salad
1/2 a medium red onion
4 cups of butternut squash, diced
1 Tbsp of olive oil
1/2 Tbsp of maple syrup
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1 1/2 cups of vegetable stock
3/4 cup of quinoa, uncooked
1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- For the Dressing
3 Tbsp of olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar
2 tsp of dijon mustard
1 tsp of maple syrup
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
2 tsp of thyme
Directions
- Preheat the over to 400° F.
- Place the squash on a large baking sheet and drizzle with the salad portion of the olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat and then bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once. Remove and set aside.
- In a medium sized pot, bring the broth and quinoa to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer until the water is absorbed and then set aside.
- In a small bowl combine the all of the dressing ingredients making sure that it is well stirred.
- Add the roasted squash and quinoa to a serving bowl and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
- Add the raisins and pumpkin seeds to the bowl
- Add the dressing and toss well.
- If you have the time, this salad gets better if you let it sit in the refrigerator for awhile before eating.