Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

Butternut squash quinoa kale salad garnished with Parmesan cheese and lemon wedge.

5 from 3 votes

This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad is perfect for fall! It's made with sauteed kale, maple glazed roasted butternut squash, and Parmesan.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword: roasted butternut squash salad, butternut squash kale salad, quinoa butternut squash salad,

Servings:

Calories: 171kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

Ingredients

For The Salad:

6 heaping cups butternut squash diced, equals 1 medium-large butternut squash
3 Tbsp. olive oil split
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. kosher salt split
½ tsp. pepper split
½ cup quinoa
1 cup water
3-4 packed cups kale chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. vegetable broth
½ cup Parmesan cheese

For The Maple Mustard Glaze and Lemon Vinaigrette:

3 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. vegetable broth
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. kosher salt split
¼ tsp. pepper split

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For The Butternut Squash:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
To peel the butternut squash, simply remove the top and bottom of the squash with a sharp knife. This will give you a flat surface on both the top and bottom portion of the fruit, which makes it easier to peel and cut.
Cut the butternut squash in half. Place each half, flat side down, on the cutting board.
Carefully run the knife down the outer surface of each butternut squash half, or peel it with a vegetable peeler. Discard the skins in the compost or trash bin.
Cut each half of the squash in half again. Scoop out the seeds and membranes from the bottom portion of the squash with a large spoon, just as you would a pumpkin. Discard the seeds and membranes.
Cut each half of the squash into slices and then cut those slices into chunks.
It's important that the squash chunks are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly.
Place the diced butternut squash (about 6 heaping cups) onto a large baking sheet and drizzle with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Toss the squash in the olive oil until evenly coated.
Sprinkle the diced squash with 1 tsp. each of garlic powder and smoked paprika, along with ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Toss until completely coated.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 18 minutes. Remove the baking sheet after 18 minutes.

For The Maple Mustard Glaze:

Prepare glaze while the butternut squash is roasting in the oven.
To make the glaze, add 3 Tbsp. maple syrup, 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. red wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp. vegetable broth, and ⅛ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper to a small bowl.
Stir all of these ingredients until completely combined, using a small whisk or a fork.
Pour the maple mustard glaze all over the butternut squash.
Toss the butternut squash gently in the glaze until evenly coated and return the baking sheet to the oven.
Roast for an additional 4 minutes. The butternut squash should be tender, but not mushy and easily pierced with a fork or knife.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside.

For The Quinoa:

To make the quinoa, prepare ½ cup of dry quinoa according to package instructions.
Once the quinoa is ready, remove from the stove top and set aside.

For The Kale:

Mince 4 cloves of garlic.
Chop 3-4 packed cups of kale, removing and discarding the tough inner ribs.
Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to the skillet.
Once heated, add the chopped kale to the skillet along with ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper.
Sauté the kale for 5-6 minutes, stirring often until it starts to cook down a bit.
Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add 1 Tbsp. of vegetable broth to deglaze the skillet. Stir again until combined.
Once the kale is softened, but not mushy, remove the skillet from the stove top and set aside.

For The Lemon Vinaigrette:

Add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, and ⅛ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper to a small mason jar or a small bowl.
Place the lid on the mason jar and shake vigorously until combined or stir until combined in a small bowl with a small whisk or fork.

Assemble The Salad:

Grate ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.
Place half of the cooked quinoa, butternut squash, kale, and Parmesan cheese into a large mixing bowl. Stir until combined.
Add the rest of the cooked quinoa, butternut squash, kale, and Parmesan cheese into the bowl.
Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the top of the salad. Gently stir until completely combined.
To Serve: Serve with some extra grated Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional).

Notes

You can use any variety of kale you like. Feel free to use any hearty greens such as Swiss chard, arugula, or spinach in place of the kale, but keep in mind that this may affect the texture of the salad slightly.

Feel free to use vegan Parmesan cheese if you'd like to keep this salad vegan.

Nutrition