Warm Quinoa Butternut Cranberries (Printable Version)
Fluffy quinoa paired with roasted squash, cranberries, and toasted nuts for a nutritious blend.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 small butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs), peeled and diced
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 2 cups baby spinach
→ Fruits & Nuts
07 - 1/2 cup dried cranberries
08 - 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
→ Dressing
09 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss diced squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes, tossing halfway, until golden and tender.
02 - Rinse quinoa under cold water. Combine quinoa and water or broth in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large serving bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted butternut squash, baby spinach, red onion, dried cranberries, and nuts.
05 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes genuinely satisfying on its own without meat, which means even your non-vegetarian guests won't miss anything.
- The warm quinoa soaks up the dressing while the roasted squash stays tender, creating this perfect textural moment on every spoonful.
- You can make it ahead and eat it warm, cold, or anywhere in between, so it fits into real life schedules.
02 -
- Rinsing the quinoa is not optional if you want it to taste clean and not faintly bitter and sticky.
- Toasting your own nuts in a dry skillet for just 2 to 3 minutes changes the entire flavor profile and is worth the two extra minutes it takes.
- The warm components wilting the spinach slightly is intentional and delicious, not a mistake to avoid.
03 -
- Taste the dressing on a single piece of squash before tossing the whole salad so you know it's balanced exactly how you like it.
- If you make this ahead, wait to toss the spinach in until just before serving so it doesn't turn dark and sad from sitting in the dressing too long.