Harvest Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables
A make-ahead salad built for cool weather: quinoa tossed with roasted squash and red onion, dried cranberries, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a maple cider dressing that only improves overnight.
- Course
- Sides & Salads
- Time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
Cooking Notes
- Rinse the quinoa before cooking to remove its natural bitter coating, then let the cooked grains steam off and cool before mixing them with the rest of the salad.
- Roast the vegetables in a single layer so they brown instead of steaming. Cooling them slightly before assembly keeps the quinoa from becoming soggy from trapped heat.
- Dress the quinoa while it is still slightly warm, then add delicate greens, nuts, or cheese later. The grains absorb flavor well without sacrificing the texture of the fresh components.
Recipe Card
Harvest Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables
By Gabriella
- Category
- Sides & Salads
- Total Time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
- 3 cups baby kale
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Roast the squash and onion at 425F with two tablespoons of oil, salt, and pepper for twenty-five minutes until caramelized.
- 2
Meanwhile cook the quinoa in salted water, then spread it on a sheet pan to cool so it stays fluffy instead of clumping.
- 3
Whisk the vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and remaining oil into a dressing and season it sharply — the grains will soak it up.
- 4
Toss the cooled quinoa with the roasted vegetables, cranberries, and most of the dressing while everything is still barely warm.
- 5
Fold in the kale just before serving, scatter the pumpkin seeds over the top, and finish with the last of the dressing.
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