Description
This Harvest Quinoa Salad is a vibrant and hearty dish featuring roasted butternut squash, crisp apples, kale, and quinoa—all tossed in a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. Packed with texture, color, and seasonal flavor, it’s perfect for a nutritious lunch, fall side dish, or festive potluck favorite.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
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1 medium butternut squash (~600 g), peeled and cubed
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1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
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Salt and black pepper to taste
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95 g uncooked quinoa (½ cup)
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240 ml water (1 cup)
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4–5 cups (~130 g) chopped curly kale
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1 medium apple, cored and diced
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3 celery stalks, diced (~75 g)
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½ small red onion, thinly sliced (~50 g)
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1 cup (~150 g) crumbled feta cheese (optional)
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¼ cup (30 g) roasted pumpkin seeds
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½ cup (60 g) pecans (omit for nut-free)
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½ cup (75 g) pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
For the Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
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120 ml avocado or olive oil (½ cup)
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60 ml apple cider vinegar (¼ cup)
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2 tbsp pure maple syrup
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1 tbsp Dijon mustard
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
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Roast Squash: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss squash with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast 45–55 minutes, tossing halfway, until caramelized. Cool.
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Cook Quinoa: Rinse quinoa. Combine with water and salt, bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cover for 15 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes, fluff, and cool.
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Make Vinaigrette: Whisk together oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
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Toast Pecans: Toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until fragrant. Cool and chop.
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Assemble Salad: Massage kale with salt to soften. Add cooled quinoa, squash, apple, celery, onion, feta, pumpkin seeds, pecans, and pomegranate seeds. Toss with vinaigrette before serving.
Notes
Massage kale for better texture.
Roast squash ahead to save time.
Feta can be swapped for goat cheese or vegan cheese.
Cranberries or cherries are great substitutes for pomegranate.
For nut-free, omit pecans and use extra seeds.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Entrées
- Method: Roasted + Assembled
- Cuisine: American