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Crispy Quinoa and Butternut Squash Salad

Published 10/10/2024

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This Quinoa and Butternut Squash Salad delivers lots of crunch and hearty fall flavor. The quinoa is tossed in spicy chili crunch sauce and baked until crispy, offering a deliciously crunchy contrast to the fall flavors of the butternut squash, creamy green dressing, and power greens.

A plate of salad with mixed greens, roasted butternut squash, crumbled feta cheese, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, and golden raisins.

You guys absolutely LOVED our Roasted Butternut Squash and Blackberry Harvest Salad, so we knew we had to make another butternut squash salad this fall — except this time we wanted to include our new obsession, CRUNCHY QUINOA! And let me tell you, the flavors and textures of this salad are total autumn heaven! If you’ve got any leftover cooked quinoa, it’s the perfect way to put it to use.

You’ll preferably need some cooked quinoa for this recipe, as it gets baked in the oven with the butternut squash to crisp it up. But you can always cook some up fresh. After that, just make the dressing and toss it all together! It’s a pretty simple recipe with a big flavor game.

What You Need to Make Quinoa and Butternut Squash Salad

Cooked quinoa: Use cold quinoa if you can! This recipe is great for leftover quinoa for that exact reason.
Chili crunch: This gets mixed into the quinoa before baking to create a spicy, crispy coating. It’s SO, so good.
Butternut squash: This also gets baked to crispy perfection and adds a sweet, nutty flavor to the salad.
Power greens mix: We used a mix of baby kale, spinach, arugula, and kale in this recipe, but you’re welcome to use your favorite greens.
Greek yogurt: To make the creamy dressing. Greek yogurt adds a tangy, protein-packed element.
Mayonnaise: Mayo adds richness to the dressing, giving this salad some healthy fats.
Fresh herbs: We used fresh tarragon and thyme leaves to give the dressing a bright, herby flavor.
Green onions: Adds a punch of flavor to the dressing to elevate the overall taste of the salad.
Lemon juice: Every salad dressing needs a bit of acidity!
Small blender: You’ll need a small blender to make the creamy dressing.

Toppings

Golden raisins
Goat cheese
Pumpkin seeds

Why does the cooked quinoa have to be cold?

Cold-cooked quinoa is preferred in this recipe because it will hold its shape better and not get mushy when mixed with the dressing and baked with the butternut squash.

If you need to cook quinoa the same day, just make sure to let it cool completely before using.

What kind of chili crunch should I use?

It depends on your taste! We like to use Momofuku or Trader Joe’s brand chili crunch, but you can also use any other brand or make your own at home. Just make sure it has a good amount of spice and crunch to add to the salad!

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A wooden spoon rests on a surface covered with toasted quinoa grains.

How to Make Quinoa and Butternut Squash Salad

Prep Quinoa: Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, transfer the cooked quinoa to the lined baking sheet and add the chili crunch, stirring until all of the quinoa is coated. Spread into an even layer over the parchment paper.
Prep Veggies: Toss the butternut squash, onion, garlic, olive oil, and sea salt on a separate baking sheet.
Bake: Transfer both baking sheets to the oven. Place the quinoa on the top shelf and the butternut squash on the shelf below. Cook both baking sheets for 40-50 minutes or until the quinoa is crispy and the butternut squash is cooked through.
Make Dressing: While everything bakes, combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, then set aside.
Assemble & Serve: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and evenly distribute the quinoa and vegetables into 4-6 bowls. Add a handful of greens to each bowl and top everything with golden raisins, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, and dressing. Serve immediately and enjoy!

A bowl of salad with spinach, roasted butternut squash, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, and goat cheese crumbles, surrounded by small bowls of salad ingredients, including raisins and seeds.

Why is my salad dressing so thin?

The dressing for this salad is naturally going to be thinner. If you are looking for a thicker dressing, we recommend adding 3-4 extra tablespoons of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.

here’s a tip!

We recommend tossing the quinoa every 20ish minutes while it bakes to ensure that it gets evenly crispy.

Storage

This quinoa and butternut squash salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To keep everything fresh and crisp, leave the dressing on the side and add it just before serving.

Serving Suggestions

When I think of butternut quinoa salad, I think of other fall recipes like this Creamy Pumpkin Wild Rice Soup or Pumpkin Chili. You can also buy some butternut squash in bulk and have a complete butternut squash-themed meal featuring this Butternut Squash Risotto, Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, or Butternut Squash Lasagna. Delish!