This Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad is the perfect delicious salad for the holiday season This salad is made with simple seasonal vegetables and is great for meal prep. It's perfect for vegans and non-vegans alike!
Butternut squash is one of my favorite vegetables to use this time of year. It's so flavorful and versatile. It's great for plant-based mains and appetizers like my Butternut Squash Dip and of course, it's great for this salad recipe!
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Jump to:
- Ingredients For This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad:
- How To Make This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad:
- Substitutions:
- Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad Variations:
- What You Need To Make This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad Recipe:
- How To Store This Harvest Salad:
- Top Tip:
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Related Vegan Butternut Squash Recipes:
- Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
- Related Vegan Salad Recipes:
Ingredients For This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad:
This butternut squash salad is the perfect salad for a variety of occasions. It's easy to make and you can pick up all the ingredients at any of your local grocery stores.
Salad Ingredients:
- Butternut Squash - You can use whole butternut squash, pre-chopped butternut squash to save some time, or you can use frozen. I personally wouldn't recommend using frozen, because I think it has a much different texture, and it releases much more liquid while cooking. You'll want tender squash.
- Quinoa - You can use regular quinoa or any other variety such as tri-colored quinoa. I like to prep quinoa at the beginning of the week because I eat it so often. This is great for this recipe because it will be chilled already.
- Pomegranate Seeds - If you're not a fan of de-seeding a pomegranate, you can use the pre-packaged kernels. I personally go with a fresh pomegranate, because it is much more affordable, and because it tastes better in my opinion. Pomegranate seeds are a great way to add a nice juicy crunch.
- Walnuts - Pre-chopped walnuts are best for this recipe, however, you can easily chop whole walnuts. If you're not a huge fan of walnuts, you can pretty much substitute any nut such as pecans, chopped almonds, pine nuts, etc.
- Spring Mix - Any greens mix will work for this recipe. I personally love spring mix for this harvest salad because it pairs perfectly with fluffy quinoa.
Salad Dressing Ingredients:
- Coconut Aminos - If you've never tried coconut aminos before, let me put you on them. I cook almost everything with coconut aminos nowadays days and I can't get enough of it. it adds the perfect caramelized texture and sweetness to all your roasted vegetables. It's slightly salty and the perfect way to level up any food.
- Tahini - I love using tahini as an oil-free salad dressing base. It's smooth and creamy and it pairs well with so many flavors. It's important to make sure that the tahini you are using is runny and smooth. Too often I see chunky and thick tahinis, and needless to say, they don't taste very good.
- Dijon Mustard - Any mustard will work just fine. I personally love using Dijon mustard because it has a stronger vinaigrette flavor.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Make This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad:
This easy quinoa salad is one of my favorite winter salads to make because it is so easy and doesn't require a ton of hands-on cooking.
1. Begin by preheating the oven to 400. Once the oven is preheated, peel, de-seed, and chop the butternut squash into bite-sized chunks. Place on a sheet pan and drizzle with the coconut aminos. Toss and ensure all the pieces are evenly coated. Place the sheet pan in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and has caramelized.
2. While the butternut squash is baking, cook the quinoa in a medium pot on medium heat until it has absorbed all the water and is light and fluffy. While the quinoa is cooking, separate the pomegranate seeds from the pomegranate.
3. Make the dressing by combining the coconut aminos, tahini, dijon mustard, and water together in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
4. Once the butternut squash has caramelized and the quinoa is done, assemble the salad. Add the spring mix to the large serving bowl, then add the butternut squash, quinoa, pomegranate, and chopped walnuts. Toss before pouring the dressing over the salad, toss again lightly, and enjoy!
Substitutions:
There are some common substitutions that can be made to this winter quinoa salad recipe if needed. Here are some of the more common ones.
- Sweet Potatoes - A very common substitution for this recipe is using sweet potatoes in place of butternut squash. This is a great alternative to butternut squash. The only difference is it may take slightly longer to cook.
- Seeds - You can replace walnuts with any seeds, such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, etc.
- Greens - You can use baby kale, baby spinach, or romaine in place of spring mix.
- Dried Cranberries - You can replace the Pomegranate seeds with dried cranberries and turn this into a butternut squash cranberry quinoa salad.
- Dijonnaise - If you find the flavor of dijon mustard to be too strong on its own, you can make this dijonnaie in its place.
If you have any questions about an ingredient not listed, make sure to leave a comment, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!
Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad Variations:
This quinoa squash salad is so great because there are so many great variations you can try with it. Here are some of my favorites.
- Cheesy - You can crumble some vegan feta cheese or goat cheese on top for added flavor.
- Candied Pecans - You can replace the walnuts with my Healthy Maple Candied Pecans for added sweetness and crunch!
- Veggie Packed - You can roast extra veggies like brussels sprouts, red onion, and cauliflower for more plant-based diversity.
- Crispy Quinoa - You can replace the quinoa with Baked Crispy Quinoa for an added crunch and flavor.
What You Need To Make This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad Recipe:
This easy quinoa salad recipe is great because it doesn't require any crazy equipment and it's super easy to make.
- Sharp Knife and Cutting Board - You will need a large knife to cut the butternut squash.
- Sheet Pan - I recommend using a light-colored sheet pan. It won't get quite as hot and this will prevent the bottom of the squash from burning.
- Medium Pot - You will need a medium bowl to cook the quinoa in.
- Small Bowl - Either a small bowl or cup will work for mixing the dressing.
- Large Mixing Bowl - You will need a large bowl to toss and serve the salad in.
As always you can find all my go-to equipment on my Amazon storefront or my affiliate page.
How To Store This Harvest Salad:
This butternut squash salad stores surprisingly well. I recommend storing any leftovers in an airtight container. If you plan on meal-prepping the salad, make sure to store the salad dressing separately. If stored properly, this salad should last for a full week.
Top Tip:
If you like your vegetables a little extra crispy, you can drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil onto the butternut squash before roasting.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Before going vegan I did not have a single clue what either of these ingredients were. If you've never heard of them, don't worry, you're definitely not alone. However, I personally think they need to be a staple in every kitchen (vegan or not).
Liquid aminos are essentially just lower-sodium soy sauce. It has an identical flavor and works great for any recipe that calls for soy sauce. They still have that great salty flavor, but are a bit healthier.
Coconut Aminos on the other hand are very different. They are still salty, however, they are also sweet. I love using coconut aminos to roast vegetables with because they give the vegetables the perfect caramelized texture without using any oil. There are no added sugars, and it's low calorie. I love using coconut aminos for roasting vegetables, salad dressings, and dips!
If you're not a fan of butternut squash, or you can't find it at the grocery store, do not fear. You can still make this salad recipe with other squash varieties. I personally love using delicata squash, however, it is not a super common squash variety, so you may have an even harder time finding it than butternut squash.
You can use acorn squash; however, it can be tricky to prepare. I would recommend using Red Kuri squash, or Kabocha squash. They're both creamy and flavorful and are a great substitute for this recipe.
Related Vegan Butternut Squash Recipes:
Looking for more delicious butternut squash recipes? Make sure to check out the other recipes on my website!
If you try this Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad recipe, I’d really love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating! Make sure to share it on social media and tag @theallnaturalvegan to be featured! Thank you for supporting The All Natural Vegan!
Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Salad:
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 pomegranate
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup qunioa
- 6 cups spring mix
- 2 tablespoon coconut aminos
For The Dressing:
- 3 tablespoon coconut aminos
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 400. Once the oven is preheated, peel, de-seed, and chop the butternut squash into bite-sized chunks. Place on a sheet pan and drizzle with the coconut aminos. Toss and ensure all the pieces are evenly coated. Place the sheet pan in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and has caramelized.
- While the butternut squash is baking, cook the quinoa in a medium pot on medium heat until it has absorbed all the water and is light and fluffy. While the quinoa is cooking, separate the pomegranate seeds from the pomegranate.
- Make the dressing by combining the coconut aminos, tahini, dijon mustard, and water together in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Once the butternut squash has caramelized and the quinoa is done, assemble the salad. Add the spring mix to the large serving bowl, then add the butternut squash, quinoa, pomegranate, and chopped walnuts. Toss before pouring the dressing over the salad, toss again lightly, and enjoy!
Related Vegan Salad Recipes:
Looking for more delicious vegan salad recipes? Check out these delicious salads on my website!
Tina
Such a yummy winter salad! I love how easy it is to put together and that it's oil-free.
Anna
I simply loved this salad. With soft and sweet squash, crunchy walnuts and tangy pomegranate seeds the flavours combination is just perfect. Super healthy too 🙂
Jess Selensky
I love this salad! So delicious
tianna
this was delicious love all the flavors in this recipe
Christina
Such a good combo for a salad. I'm not a huge fan of butternut squash so I often use sweet potatoes but that dressing looks awesome!
Gus
My kind of salad! I loved the texture that butternut squash adds to the fresh salad, and the dressing was so yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
Holly
Very nice and hearty salad. Would make a nice side for Thanksgiving too!
Andrea
This quinoa salad turned out so good! Incredibly refreshing and delicious!
Erin
This salad is so fresh and colorful ... thanks for the recipe!