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This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with spinach and apples is a delicious, flavorful dish that’s perfect for fall and winter. It’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner, yet fancy enough for entertaining. Gluten-free and vegan.
I say this all the time, but salads don’t have to be boring. Despite what many restaurants will have you think, it’s not just lettuce and a stray tomato. Learn more about how make amazing salads for dinner!
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 Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad full of vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber to keep you satisfied. Plus, it’s pretty to look at, don’t you think?
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
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, it’s caramelized to perfection, is sweet and tender, and complements the other flavors perfectly.
Onion ~ I love adding roasted red onions to a variety of dishes. They get deliciously sweet and caramelized. I do not recommend subbing for white or yellow onions.
Quinoa ~ I used tri-color quinoa here because that’s what I had in the pantry. White quinoa or red quinoa would work just fine.
You could also sub for brown rice, wild rice, or farro. Read package directions and cook accordingly.
Spinach ~ Baby spinach is tender and pairs beautifully with the other fresh flavors and textures. Baby kale may be substituted instead.
Obviously, this is a fresh salad – do not use frozen spinach!
Apple ~ Apples and butternut squash are a great combo. Just like in my Butternut Squash Apple Soup and this Autumn Burger, it works really well in this Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad.
You could use diced pears instead of apples, if you prefer.
Nuts ~ A handful of pistachios add crunch. Almonds, walnuts, pecans, or pumpkin seeds would all work, as well.
Herbs and spices ~ A few dried herbs in the quinoa and some spices on the butternut squash bring loads of flavor.
You can finish off the salad with some chopped fresh parsley and a sprinkle of fresh cracked black pepper if you like.
Dressing ~ The tangy dressing is made with just three ingredients, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, and dijon mustard. Because the other components of the salad are seasoned well, you don’t even need extra salt or oil here.
If you are using this dressing with a different recipe, especially a more basic salad, I suggest adding some salt and pepper and drizzling in some olive oil.
Extras ~ This squash quinoa salad is pretty loaded and doesn’t need anything else. However, if you’d like to make it even heartier, feel free to add some cooked chickpeas, dried cranberries, or vegan feta cheese.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
Toss the cubed squash and sliced onions with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper (1).
Roast until tender and caramelized (2).
Place the quinoa in a pot with water, dried herbs and salt (3).
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender (4).
Whisk the apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and pure maple syrup in a large mixing bowl (5).
Add the spinach and chopped apples and toss well with the dressing (6).
Add the cooked squash and onions, cooked quinoa, and pistachios (7) and toss well to combine (8).
Serving suggestions
This salad is hearty enough to be served as a light lunch or dinner option on its own. If you want something more, try serving it with vegan garlic bread or vegan cornbread.
Or pair it with a sandwich, like my Pesto Tofu Sandwich, Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich, or Vegan BLT.
A bowl of soup would be a great option for pairing, as well. Try my Vegan Black Bean Soup or Vegan Mushroom Soup.
This salad would also make a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu!
Storage
If you don’t plan on serving this salad right away, keep the spinach separate from the other ingredients and do not toss it with the dressing!
The squash and onions and the quinoa can all be made ahead and kept in an airtight container, together or separately, for 2 to 3 days.
Do not freeze this salad.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Cut the squash into bite size pieces of similar size so they roast evenly.
~ Rinse the quinoa to get rid of any bitterness.
~ Use fresh baby spinach or fresh baby kale, not frozen!
~ Store the spinach separately from the rest of the salad if you are not serving right away. Only toss the spinach in right before serving.
~ The roasted butternut squash and quinoa can both be made ahead of time and kept in airtight containers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Great for meal prep!
FAQs
This salad is delicious either warm, room temperature, or cold. Just don’t toss the spinach with the rest of the ingredients until you are ready to serve so it doesn’t get wilty or slimy.
If you don’t like or can’t have quinoa, try brown rice, wild rice, or farro instead. Farro contains gluten, so keep that in mind if you need to keep this salad gluten-free.
This salad is best eaten immediately. If you need to store leftovers, keep the spinach separate only toss with the dressing and other ingredients when ready to serve.
More vegan quinoa salads
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
For the Butternut Squash:
- 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
- ¾ cup sliced red onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
For the Quinoa:
- ½ cup dry quinoa
- ¾ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoons dijon mustard
For the Salad:
- 8 oz fresh baby spinach
- 1 apple chopped
- ¼ cup shelled pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss the cubed butternut squash, sliced red onion, olive oil, cinnamon, salt and cayenne until well coated. Spread out in one even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Toss, spread back out evenly, and bake another 8-10 minutes until tender and caramelized.
- Meanwhile, rinse and drain the quinoa. Place it in a pot on the stove over medium-high heat with the water, salt, parsley, oregano, and thyme. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and continue cooking for 12 to 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
- Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together in a large mixing bowl. Add the spinach and chopped apple and toss well to coat. Add the cooked squash and onions, cooked quinoa, and pistachios and toss again to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Aisha B says
What could I substitute the apple cider vinger with. I can’t find it where I’m from. Would lemon juice work? I can’t have wine so that isn’t an option either.
Jenn Sebestyen says
Balsamic would be delicious…you may need less maple syrup with this option as it’s pretty sweet already. Lemon juice would work, too. Just taste and adjust as necessary. Enjoy!
Timarie says
Hello. Trying to subscribe to your recipes via email, but the circle just keeps spinning! Please add me to your email list. Thank you!
Jenn S. says
Hi, Timarie. Sorry you’re having trouble. I’ll be sure to look into it to make sure it’s not a problem on my end. But, I’ll get you all signed up! Thanks for following along!
Kerri McGrail says
Woahh this has me droooling! The perfect fall salad! i think i will add this to my thanksgiving recipe list!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Kerri! I hope you love it!
Mandy says
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! 🙂
Jenn S. says
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! 🙂
Sarah says
This is fall in a bowl! Looks delicious!!!
Jenn S. says
LOVE fall! 🙂
Mandy says
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!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Mandy! Not bad at all. And I agree – this would be perfect on the Thanksgiving table! 🙂
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
This salad has all my favorite ingredients in it. It’s like you read my mind. 🙂
Jenn S. says
Well, yes, that IS one of my super powers! 😉
Ginny McMeans says
My daily salad must now include this recipe in the line-up. Sounds wonderful.
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Ginny! I hope you love it!
Melissa says
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 🙂
Jenn S. says
Perfect! You are one step ahead already. Let me know how it turns out!
Dianne says
This looks like a perfect way to continue eating salads into the cooler months. I love the addition of apples!
Jenn S. says
Yes! This is definitely one for the fall. Thank you!
Becky Striepe says
This looks like the kind of salad that even my kid would want to eat!
Jenn S. says
That is awesome!! Glad to hear he loves his greens!
Strength and Sunshine says
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!
Jenn S. says
I buy a butternut squash just about every time I go to the grocery store or farmers market. I LOVE the stuff! Thanks, Rebecca!
Vivian | stayaliveandcooking says
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!
Jenn S. says
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!