Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

by: Mrs. Tartaglino-Fahey (Fourth Grade)

This is a newer recipe for our family. We started making it about 4 years ago to take to Ossipee Lake in New Hampshire (we have a home nearby) for a delicious and portable lunch! Since then, it’s become the requested dish for family and friend barbecues! It’s gluten free, yet has lots of protein! We’ve created numerous variations…be creative!  

Source: This is sort of an assimilation of a number of recipes…there are few occasions where we follow a recipe at ‘face value!’

Ingredients

6 c butternut squash (1 med butternut squash), peeled/ cut in 1 inch cubes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 cups baby kale or spinach, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup goat cheese

Balsamic Vinaigrette-whisk ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic , minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F or grill.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash with olive oil and season with salt, freshly ground pepper, and rosemary. Spread butternut squash in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes or until squash is tender and lightly browned.
  3. While the butternut squash is roasting, rinse quinoa and place in a medium pan with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook partially covered until liquid is absorbed – about 16-18 minutes. Allow to cool 1 hour.
  4. To assemble the salad, combine the roasted butternut squash, cooked quinoa, chopped red onion, chopped kale or spinach, cranberries, chopped pecans and goat cheese in a large bowl. Add the balsamic vinaigrette and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm or cold.