Simple Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
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This is my favourite method for cooking butternut squash—chopping it into small cubes and roasting until it's tender and slightly caramelized. I have to exercise some serious restraint not to eat the whole pan straight from the oven! The squash cubes are layered on a base of fluffy quinoa and topped with creamy chopped avocado, sea salt, and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. It's super simple, but delightful. My best tip is to make sure you season this salad properly. Quinoa and roasted squash will fall flat without a generous seasoning of sea salt, so don't be shy. I also like to keep some Herbamare on hand when serving so others can season with additional salt if desired. Be sure to see my Tips below on the many ways you can change up this salad! Thank you to my friend Karly for inspiring this recipe. She brought this salad to a recent get-together and I knew I had to try recreating it at home.
Yield
6 servings
Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook time
45 Minutes
Total Time
1 Hour
Ingredients:
For the roasted butternut squash:
- 1 large (3-pound/1.4 kg) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- Fine sea salt, to taste
For the salad:
- 1 cup (200 g) uncooked quinoa
- 1 large ripe avocado
- Fresh lemon or lime juice, to taste
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- For the squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Spread the chopped squash onto the baking sheets and drizzle 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (or olive oil, if using) over each sheet. Toss to coat. Spread the squash into an even layer (being careful not to overcrowd the squash) and sprinkle with a few pinches of sea salt.
- Roast the squash until the bottoms are just starting to brown in some spots, about 40 to 50 minutes I don’t bother flipping the squash halfway through roasting, but you can if you’d like.
- For the salad: Once your squash are about 25 minutes from being done, begin preparing the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and transfer to a medium pot. Add 1 3/4 cups water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender and fluffy. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and remove from heat. Season the quinoa with salt and pepper to taste (I recommend a generous amount) and stir to combine. Keep the lid on until ready to use so it stays warm.
- Just before assembly, pit and chop the avocado so it’s ready to go.
- When the squash is finished cooking, spread the warm quinoa onto a platter or spoon it into a large bowl. While the squash is still hot, spoon it on top of the quinoa before adding the chopped avocado. Garnish with a couple more pinches of salt and a small amount of fresh lemon juice (or lime juice) drizzled over top (you can also try lemon or lime zest for a twist). I use a light touch with lemon juice as it can quickly overwhelm the other flavours. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
Want to change this recipe up? Here are some fun ideas for how you can create a new dish!
- Add some minced garlic to the cooked quinoa for a subtle garlic flavour
- Sprinkle some garlic powder or nutritional yeast on top
- Boost the protein by adding black beans, chickpeas, or any bean of choice
- Try experimenting with spice combinations like cumin + chili powder + cayenne; cinnamon + nutmeg; curry powder + coriander, etc.
- Finish with fresh minced herbs such as parsley or cilantro
- Sprinkle my Pecan Parmesan on top for a nutty crunch
- Add finely shredded kale, chard, or spinach for a boost of green power