Quinoa Spinach Salad w/ Butternut Squash & Apple – a delicious and flavorful fall salad. Easy enough for a weeknight dinner, yet fancy enough for entertaining.
A Lovely Fall Salad
I say this all the time, but salads don’t have to be boring. It’s not just lettuce and tomatoes. A salad recipe can be anything you want it to be. It can be light and easy or hearty and comforting. I was inspired by fall produce when I created this nourishing bowl. This Quinoa Spinach Salad with Butternut Squash & Apple is flavorful and full of vitamins, protein and fiber to keep you satisfied. Plus, it’s pretty to look at, don’t you think?
Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash is one of my favorite vegetables. It’s sweet and creamy and delicious. Not to mention, it’s so incredibly versatile. It’s the magic behind my irresistible creamy dairy free mac and cheese, it’s the sweet element in my Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili, and it’s the dreamy autumn flavor in my Cinnamon Squash Quick Bread. In this Quinoa Spinach Salad, the butternut squash brings yet another texture component with it’s slightly crisp edges and tender insides.
Load Up the Goodness
In addition to the butternut squash, you’ll find apples, red onion, and pistachios in this gluten free salad. They are all important players for providing the perfect flavor and texture. You could use pears instead of the apples and pumpkin seeds or chopped pecans instead of the pistachios, but you’ll definitely want the juicy and crunchy components.
Quinoa Spinach Salad w/ Butternut Squash & Apple
I hope you give this seasonal Quinoa Spinach Salad a try! I can’t wait to see your remakes, so be sure to tag @veggie_inspired and #veggieinspired on social media so I don’t miss it. And don’t forget to leave me a comment below with your feedback!
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pinch of cayenne (to taste..a little goes a long way)
- 1/2 cup dry quinoa (I used tri-color quinoa because it's prettier)
- 1 cup vegetable broth (or water)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- dash of pepper
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 16 oz baby fresh baby spinach
- 1 apple (chopped)
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss the cubed butternut squash, olive oil, cinnamon, salt and cayenne until well coated. Bake for 25-35 minutes.
- Meanwhile, rinse and drain the quinoa. Place it in a pot on the stove over medium-high heat with the vegetable broth, salt, parsley, oregano, and thyme. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and continue cooking for about 15 minutes until the quinoa is tender. Because this is a small amount of quinoa, keep a close eye on it to ensure the liquid doesn't evaporate too quickly. Add a couple more tablespoons of broth or water if the mixture dries out and starts sticking to the pan. Do not overcook. Once the quinoa is tender, remove from heat and set aside.
- Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together in a small bowl. It will be quite tangy. If you like it more mellow, add another tablespoon or two of oil or water.
- To assemble the salad, mix the spinach, chopped apple, roasted butternut squash, quinoa, and pistachios. Drizzle a couple tablespoons of dressing and taste. Add more dressing if desired.
If you're not planning on eating all of the salad right away, do not mix it all together. Mix the quinoa, butternut squash, apple, and pistachios in a bowl, cover and refrigerate. Store the dressing in a mason jar or similar air tight container in the fridge. Store the spinach in a separate container.
This recipe has been linked up to Meat Free Mondays hosted by Tinned Tomatoes.
Other Holiday-Worthy Salads You Might Like:
Roasted Radish and Brussels Sprouts Salad
Herb Roasted Potato & Arugula Salad
Autumn Kale Salad w/ Warm Pumpkin Vinaigrette
Woahh this has me droooling! The perfect fall salad! i think i will add this to my thanksgiving recipe list!
Thank you, Kerri! I hope you love it!
Jenn!!! I had to pop over here to tell you that I’m in love with this dressing! I’ve been using it on my kale salad for the last two days! Can’t wait to try it the way it was intended in this recipe! 🙂
Oh, yay!! So happy to hear that! I LOVE my apple cider vinegar! I can imagine it would be delicious on kale salad as well. It’s National Kale Day today, but the way! 🙂
This is fall in a bowl! Looks delicious!!!
LOVE fall! 🙂
What a gorgeous salad!!! And I love all of the textures in here – especially the addition of red onion and apple. That dressing sounds absolutely heavenly – I LOVE mustard dressings! Is it bad that I’m already brainstorming thanksgiving recipe ideas?? This salad would be so perfect!
Thank you, Mandy! Not bad at all. And I agree – this would be perfect on the Thanksgiving table! 🙂
This salad has all my favorite ingredients in it. It’s like you read my mind. 🙂
Well, yes, that IS one of my super powers! 😉
My daily salad must now include this recipe in the line-up. Sounds wonderful.
Thank you, Ginny! I hope you love it!
This salad looks so hearty, sweet & savory! I love all the different textures and flavors you added. I have some cooked butternut squash in the fridge. I’ve gotta try this tomorrow 🙂
Perfect! You are one step ahead already. Let me know how it turns out!
This looks like a perfect way to continue eating salads into the cooler months. I love the addition of apples!
Yes! This is definitely one for the fall. Thank you!
This looks like the kind of salad that even my kid would want to eat!
That is awesome!! Glad to hear he loves his greens!
I used to eat tons of b-squash and then last year I just never seemed to buy it :/ I only had it a few times! This season…I’ll have to change that…starting with a lovely Fall salad!
I buy a butternut squash just about every time I go to the grocery store or farmers market. I LOVE the stuff! Thanks, Rebecca!
I’ve been putting apple slices in so many salads lately – the freshness and sweetness is usually the perfect touch! I can’t wait for pumpkin season to begin again, to try all these recipes. Have a great week!
I love fruit in salad too. And the apples are just so good this time of year. So fresh and crisp – the perfect addition! Thanks, Vivian!