Description
A warm and hearty salad featuring quinoa, fresh cranberries, roasted butternut squash, and a delicious maple vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa or farro
- 1 cup fresh cranberries (or dried cranberries as a substitute)
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts (or seeds)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or basil/sage)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the grains under cold water. Cook quinoa or farro according to package directions, preferably with vegetable broth. Let cool.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes until tender and caramelized.
- If using fresh cranberries, rinse and add them raw to the salad. If using dried cranberries, add when the grains have cooled.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled grains, roasted squash, cranberries, and herbs. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to combine.
- Top with toasted nuts before serving. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Adjust the sweetness of the dish based on the tartness of cranberries used. Feel free to get creative with additional seasonal ingredients!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: autumn salad, grain salad, quinoa salad, cranberries, healthy salad, seasonal recipe