Description
This Fall Quinoa Salad is a vibrant and hearty dish combining roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and garlic with fluffy quinoa, baby kale, apples, and a zesty orange-Dijon dressing. Perfectly balanced with seasonal spices and pumpkin seeds for crunch, it makes a perfect nutritious addition to your fall or holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Vegetables
- 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 Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Quinoa
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa (washed)
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 low-sodium bouillon cube
Salad & Dressing
- 2 cups baby kale
- 1 large apple (diced)
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
- Arrange vegetables for roasting: Place Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, red onion, and the head of garlic on the baking sheet in separate sections without mixing them.
- Season vegetables: Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the Brussels sprouts and pumpkin spice over the butternut squash. Season everything with kosher salt and drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil evenly, including inside the cut garlic head.
- Toss and keep separate: Gently mix the spices and oil into each vegetable section, making sure they remain separate on the baking sheet.
- Roast vegetables: Roast in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until vegetables are tender and caramelized.
- Cook quinoa: While veggies roast, place quinoa, 1 ¾ cups water, and bouillon cube in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes. Then turn off heat and let rest covered for 10 minutes.
- Make dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, Dijon mustard, orange juice, water, salt, and pepper. Transfer dressing to a jar with a lid for serving.
- Prepare garlic paste: Remove the garlic head from the oven and let cool. Once cool, squeeze the soft garlic cloves out and mash with a fork into a creamy paste.
- Assemble salad base: In a large salad bowl, combine cooked quinoa with the garlic paste and toss to incorporate flavors. Add baby kale and mix well to slightly wilt kale from the heat.
- Add roasted vegetables and apple: Mix in half the roasted vegetables and half the diced apple, tossing to combine.
- Top and serve: Arrange the remaining roasted vegetables and apples on top, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, and serve the salad with the dressing on the side.
Notes
- Full of fall flavors and vibrant colors, this harvest fall quinoa salad with apples, Brussels sprouts, and butternut squash is perfect for your fall or holiday table.
- Roasted garlic adds a creamy depth of flavor to the salad—don’t skip mashing it into a paste!
- You can substitute kale with baby spinach or arugula if preferred.
- This salad can be served warm or at room temperature, making it versatile for any occasion.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 366 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 595 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.002 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0.03 mg
