Fall Quinoa Salad
Full of fall flavors and vibrant colors, this harvest fall quinoa salad with apples, Brussels sprouts, and butternut squash is perfect for your fall/holiday table!
Servings: 6 to 8
Calories: 366kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound of Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
- 2 pounds butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 1 red onion sliced into wedges
- 1 head of garlic cut ½ inch from the top
- 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon of pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 cup of uncooked quinoa washed
- 1 ¾ cups of water
- 1 low-sodium bouillon cube
- 2 cups of baby kale
- 1 large apple diced
- ¼ cup of pumpkin seeds
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup of orange juice
- 2 tablespoons of water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Set aside.
- Place the Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, onion, and head of garlic on the baking sheet. Do not mix them together – keep each ingredient in a section of the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the Italian seasoning on top of the Brussels sprouts, and sprinkle the pumpkin spice on top of the butternut squash. Sprinkle salt and drizzle the olive oil all over the Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, onions, and garlic. Make sure to drizzle olive oil right into the cut part of the garlic head.
- Mix the spices and oil into the veggies, but still keep them separate on the baking sheet.
- Roast them for 25 minutes.
- While the veggies are in the oven, cook the quinoa.
- Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan with a lid. Add the water and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil, cover with the lid, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, leave it covered, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes undisturbed.
- In the meantime make the dressing. In a large bowl mix the olive oil, dijon mustard, orange juice, water, salt, and pepper. Mix well and transfer the mixture into a jar with a lid.
- Once the roasted veggies are done, remove the garlic head and set it aside to cool. Once it is cooled to the touch, squeeze it until the garlic cloves begin to pop out. They will be soft and creamy. Using a fork, mash them until they become a paste.
- Place the quinoa into the salad bowl, and mix it well to absorb some of the leftover salad dressing and the garlic paste. Add the kale and mix well. The heat of the quinoa will slightly wilt the kale.
- Add half of the roasted vegetables and half of the diced apple. Toss well.
- Top with the remaining roasted vegetables, apples, and sprinkle some pumpkin seeds.
- Serve with the dressing on the side.
Notes
Note: The quinoa will get too mushy and soggy if the dressing is added in.
- For more flavor: Toast the quinoa until fragrant before cooking it. This brings out its nutty flavor further.
- Add some dressing while warm: Add up to 1/3 of the dressing. The warm quinoa soaks it up quickly for an overall more flavored autumn quinoa salad.
- To save time: (and effort) Use pre-cut butternut squash/trimmed sprouts.
Nutrition
Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 0.03mg | Sodium: 595mg | Potassium: 1146mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 17394IU | Vitamin C: 112mg | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 4mg
