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–+ servings
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Salad.

Autumn Quinoa Salad (with Butternut and Quinoa)

Amber Dawn | The Host Notes
This is the vegetarian-friendly, gluten-free side dish your hosted table is waiting for. Serve this at your next gathering where you may have guests with dietary preferences that shift the menu a bit. Your ‘friends who eat everything’ will be just as delighted with this lovely, flavor-bomb salad and will happily enjoy it alongside a turkey leg or thick cut of prime rib.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 225 kcal

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Spatula or wooden spoon
  • Chef's knife
  • Cutting board or butcher block

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups Quinoa, prepared
  • 2 cups Caramelized Butternut Squash
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Denissimo Dark Balsamic vinegar OR 2 teaspoons standard balsamic vinegar plus 1 teaspoon honey
  • 3 ounces fresh feta cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon coriander dried powder
  • ½ cup pepitas
  • ½ cup Italian flat leaf parsley

Instructions
 

  • First, prepare the Caramelized Butternut Squash and quinoa. Both will be used as the base of this salad.
  • Into the large mixing bowl, add the prepared quinoa, Caramelized Butternut Squash, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and coriander. Gently fold the ingredients together until well combined. The squash is tender and may break up a bit, creating a sticky sweetness throughout the salad. This is expected.
  • Leaving a bit of each to the side for garnish, fold in about 2 ounces of the feta, most of the pepitas, and parsley. Top the salad with the remaining feta, pepitas and parsley.
  • Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

  • While I prefer using fresh when possible, using store-prepped butternut squash in the Caramelized Butternut Squash recipe helps if you're looking to shorten prep time for this dish.
  •  If quinoa isn’t your favorite, I recommend using farro or wild rice as it is hearty enough to hold up to the rest of the ingredients in the salad. Short grain brown rice works well, too.
  • Feta is best when purchased fresh in a block, soaking in brine. Pre-crumbled feta tends to be less flavorful and often has additives that change the texture.
  • Feel free to leave out to the feta cheese or substitute your favorite non-dairy “cheese” instead. If leaving out dairy, I will often increase the amount of pepitas and salt used in the recipe to make sure it has enough flavor.
  • If you’re looking for something to serve with this salad, try my Oven-Baked Meatballs (for so much more than pasta and subs!) or Dry Rub Chicken Wings.

Nutrition

Calories: 225kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 271mgPotassium: 408mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 5448IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Gluten-free, Vegetarian
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