Quinoa Butternut Squash Salad
Author:Quinoa Butternut Squash Salad featuring roasted butternut squash, peppery arugula, quinoa, crunchy toasted hazelnuts, and a creamy apple tahini dressing. This side dish is naturally gluten-free, fresh, filling and full of fall flavours!
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , optional
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (170 grams) quinoa ,(Or 3 cups of already cooked quinoa).
- 2 cups (480 mls) water
- 4 cups (85 grams/ 3 oz) arugula , doesn't have to be exact
- ¾ cup (115 grams) hazelnuts , use pumpkin seeds for nut-free
For the dressing
- 3 tablespoons tahini , or almond, hazelnut, or cashew butter
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce , or ¼ of a medium apple
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar , or white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt , plus more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 to 4 tablespoons water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200 °C).
- Cook the squash - Peel, deseed, and cut the butternut squash into ½ inch cubes. Spread out on a large baking tray, toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until just fork tender.
- Cook the quinoa - Rinse it thoroughly in a sieve, then place in a saucepan with the water. Stir, cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Turn to medium and allow to simmer for 15 minutes then turn off the heat and leave it to sit without removing the lid for at least 10 minutes. Longer is fine. Then fluff with a fork before using. Or cook it in an Instant Pot. Rinse in a sieve, add to the Instant Pot with just 1 cup of water. Place the lid on, seal the vent and cook on manual for 2 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally then fluff with a fork.
- Make the dressing - Add the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and well combined. Or mince the garlic, add everything to a jar and shake/whisk it up. Start with just a little of the water and no maple syrup, then check the texture and sweetness. Add maple syrup to taste and enough water to get the thickness you prefer, not too thin though or it won't cling well.
- Toast the nuts - Warm a small shallow pan over a medium heat and when hot add the hazelnuts. Roll them around in the pan for several minutes to toast. They will start smelling toasty and nutty when done. Don't leave them alone as they will burn easily. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.
- Assemble - Add the quinoa to a large bowl, then the arugula, butternut squash and hazelnuts. Let any juice from the butternut squash tray trickle in too. Drizzle over the dressing and toss well to combine.
NOTES
Making ahead & storage - All of the components of this Quinoa Butternut Squash Salad can be prepared in advance. The dressing will keep for up to 3 days, the roasted squash and the quinoa for up to 3 days and the toasted nuts for a week or two. Just store them all (except the nuts) in the fridge before combining them. Once made the salad will hold up for a few hours after dressing. If you wish to store it for a longer amount of time I recommend storing the salad, and the dressing, and the toasted nuts in separate containers.
NUTRITION
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 232mg | Potassium: 628mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 10230IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 3mg
