Fall Harvest Quinoa Salad w/ Roasted Hazelnuts is a superfood salad that packs a ton of flavor. It’s the perfect balance of fresh, roasted, sweet and nutty. This mix of chilled grains, fresh spinach and roasted fall veggies is the perfect side to any meal.
The grocery list.
The salad.
- Butternut squash – This is called a Fall Harvest Quinoa Salad, so that means it has to include not one, but TWO kinds of squash.
- Delicata squash – Delicata squash have a similar flavor to sweet potatoes, they’re slightly sweet.
- Olive oil – Toss your diced squash in olive oil for a perfect roast.
- Kosher salt – Salt and pepper to lightly season your squash before roasting it.
- Ground black pepper
- Quinoa – Quinoa is a classic superfood. I’ve seen a ton of “healthy” quinoa recipes that just don’t look appetizing. This dish, on the other hand, is healthy and PACKED with flavor.
- Baby spinach – The green of choice for this salad is baby spinach.
- Shelled edamame -Edamame are a great source of soy protein and a great addition to salads like this one.
- Dried blueberries – I love adding fruit to salads like this one because it gives the dish a little bit of sweetness. Dried blueberries add a great chewy texture.
- Roasted hazelnuts – My household is obsessed with hazelnuts. They’re great for sweet or savory recipes and add a delicious nuttiness and crunch to this Fall Harvest Quinoa Salad.
The dressing.
- Plain greek yogurt – Greek yogurt is a great base for creamy dressings.
- Lemon juice – ACV and lemon juice add some acidity to this dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Garlic, minced – You can use fresh or jarred minced garlic for this recipe.
- Dijon mustard – Mustard is a common ingredient in salad dressings, and you can’t even taste it half of the time!
The preparation.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the butternut squash and delicata squash with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes. Toss and return to the oven to roast for an additional 20 minutes until golden.
Remove the roasted squash from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the quinoa, spinach, edamame, dried blueberries and roasted hazelnuts. Add the cooled roasted squash. Toss to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, dijon and a pinch of pepper.
Dress the salad with 3-4 tablespoons of the yogurt dressing. Store the remaining dressing in a mason jar in the fridge for future use.
This is a great meal prep recipe, it can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it again.
Ingredients
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 1 cup delicata squash, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup shelled edamame
- 1/4 cup dried blueberries
- 1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the butternut squash and delicata squash with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes. Toss and return to the oven to roast for an additional 20 minutes until golden.
- Remove the roasted squash from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the quinoa, spinach, edamame, dried blueberries and roasted hazelnuts. Add the cooled roasted squash. Toss to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, dijon and a pinch of pepper. - Dress the salad with 3-4 tablespoons of the yogurt dressing. Store the remaining dressing in a mason jar in the fridge for future use.