Butternut Squash and Cranberry Quinoa Salad
Do you ever make a dish that you kind of know isn’t going to be all that exciting, but ends up being really fantastic? This Butternut Squash and Cranberry Quinoa Salad was one of those dishes that I figured would be good, but not really a big deal. I was really wrong though because although it is indeed quite simple, it is seriously delicious! I love how light it is, but it has great flavor and texture…pretty much everything I want in a salad like this!
It’s quite simple to make too! First, you are going to roast some butternut squash. Then you just mix it in with some fluffy quinoa, dried cranberries, golden raisins (or currants!), crumbled feta, red onions, and fresh parsley. Since you have the added step of having to roast the squash, just make sure you plan your time carefully and you can totally make this salad the day before you plan to serve it too. I like it best served either slightly chilled or at room temperature.
I’m pretty sure this is going to be my go-to potluck dish this fall and holiday season. It’s a salad, but obviously not a green salad, so it’s a unique dish to contribute. It’s also nice and light and vegetarian-friendly! I also loved bringing this salad to work for lunch and it maintained that nice fresh flavor for days after too. My plan originally was to make a dressing, but honestly, it doesn’t need it. If you taste it and think it needs some though, feel free to add some olive oil and lemon juice or any light dressing.
Butternut Squash and Cranberry Quinoa Salad
This simple fall quinoa salad is made with roasted butternut squash, feta cheese, dried cranberries and currants. Great for parties or potlucks!
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste
- 4 cups cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup golden raisins or currants
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the cubed butternut squash in a single layer. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with some salt. Roast the squash for about 30 minutes or until tender (This is a great time to cook your quinoa, by the way!).
- In a large mixing bowl, add the quinoa, cooked squash, red onion, cranberries, raisins, feta cheese, and parsley. Mix and add salt to taste. Serve alone or drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice or your preferred light dressing.
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