Fall Quinoa Harvest Salad

This quinoa harvest salad is perfect for a Thanksgiving side dish. Enjoy the nutritional benefits of this superfood combination, with the sweet and savory flavors of cranberries, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds and butternut squash. 


 

Quick and Easy Quinoa Harvest Salad

As I was making this recipe, I was thinking back to when I first cooked quinoa.

I was a sophomore in college. I was just beginning to transform my lifestyle from unwholesome to healthy, and I was doing my research on how to improve my diet. I always pronounced it like ‘kee-know-uh’, and was so surprised when I finally learned it’s actual pronunciation. Nevertheless, I was so excited to have found this superfood, especially because I enjoyed it so much. A few years later, here I am sharing my own recipes with the ingredient.

Quinoa Harvest Salad

This recipe is probably my favorite side dish that I’ve ever made. Seriously.

The savory roasted butternut squash melts in your mouth like a mouthful of dissolving cotton candy at the state fair. I love the combination of sweet dried cranberries with tangy goat cheese and crunchy, salty roasted pumpkin seeds – it took the dish to another level and was complimented perfectly with the quinoa and drizzle of olive oil.

Incorporating or replacing this as a side to your Thankgiving feast makes for a nutritious addition to our otherwise, customary side of buttery mashed potatoes or green bean casserole *cringe*.

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Here’s what you’re packing with the two shining stars:

  • Butternut squash 
    • Fiber
    • Potassium
    • Omega-3 Fatty Acids
    • Magnesium
  • Quinoa
    • Protein (quinoa is a complete protein)
    • Fiber
    • Iron
    • Manganese

Quinoa Harvest Salad

Did I mention this recipe is ridiculously easy? I would call it semi-homemade but I hate that description. The only cooking you’re doing is for the butternut squash and quinoa.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:52]

Quinoa Harvest Salad

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Quinoa Harvest Salad

If you like this recipe, don’t forget to pin it!

Quinoa Harvest Salad

Join the conversation:
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?
If you could choose only one Fall vegetable for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Dried fruit: love it or hate it?

Comments

  1. says

    I still laugh at how my dad pronounces quinoa…even after it being a household staple for 8 years. I actually hate traditional Thanksgiving food (minus the turkey) so I request roasted NOT mashed potatoes (sweet and regular). This looks delish!

  2. says

    This dish looks so freaking good. I haven’t found a quinoa recipe that I’ve liked yet, but I’m thinking this might be it since I love all of the other ingredients. Fingers crossed this makes me a quinoa believer. 😉

  3. says

    This is my kind of salad! Seriously so beautiful and full of delicious things!
    Kabocha squash is my favourite fall food! I could eat it everyday for the rest of my life I’m pretty sure.
    I love dried fruit! Especially drief figs and mulberries <3

  4. says

    I despiiiise the term “semi-homemade”! Wasn’t there a show on The Food Network that specialized in that category?
    When I first had quinoa I was weirded out by the texture. Now idk what “texture” I was talking about…it’s just so amazing and versatile.

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