Fall Quinoa Salad is a show-stopping quinoa salad featuring roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, protein-rich quinoa, and a pumpkin vinaigrette. It is incredibly healthy and outrageously delicious!
Years ago I attended a huge Thanksgiving Pot-Luck that featured dozens of delicious dishes. But the recipe that stood out to me was a wild rice salad made with roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, and a pumpkin vinaigrette.
Pumpkin Vinaigrette?! I know that sounds crazy, but oh my goodness does it work! The pumpkin puree adds an earthy, creaminess to the dressing, making it feel rich and luxurious using vegetables! Balanced out with maple syrup and apple cider vinegar, the dressing is sweet, tangy, and the perfect complement to the roasted butternut squash and cranberries in the salad.
My version of this recipe is made with caramelized roasted squash, tart-dried cranberries, and a tangy pumpkin dressing. But instead of using wild rice as the base, I opted for quinoa. Quinoa adds a hefty dose of plant-based protein, making this fall salad worthy of being the main entree!
Notes On Ingredients
You only need a few pantry staple ingredients, along with fresh butternut squash to prepare this salad. It is affordable, hearty, and yet incredibly flavorful.
- Quinoa: Use any variety/color of dried quinoa you like.
- Butternut Squash: You will need a couple of cups of cubed, peeled butternut squash for this salad, which is less than a whole squash. I often opt to make a large batch of roasted butternut squash earlier in the week. Serve the squash as a side dish for dinner one night and then use the leftovers to whip up this salad with ease.
- Seasoned Salt: Instead of simply using kosher salt, I opt to use homemade seasoned salt, which adds a nice savory note to the salad.
- Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Canned or homemade pumpkin puree will work in this dressing.
- Maple Syrup: Use pure maple syrup for the best flavor in the dressing.
- Vinegar: Apple Cider Vinegar is the best choice for this salad. I don't recommend a substitution.
- Nuts: To add crunch to the quinoa salad, use chopped walnut, pecan, almonds, or pepitas, for a nut-free salad.
Recipe Modifications
- Speed-it-Up: Use leftover Roasted Butternut Squash and Instant Pot Quinoa to throw this quinoa salad together in minutes.
- Add cheese: If you are not dairy-free or vegan, crumbled feta or goat cheese makes a delicious addition to this salad.
- Nut-Free: Use roasted pumpkin seeds/pepitas to add crunch to the quinoa salad while keeping this recipe nut-free.
More Plant-Based Fall Recipes
- Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Butternut Squash Chili
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Vegetarian Curry with Butternut Squash
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.
If you tried this Fall Quinoa Salad, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below!
Fall Quinoa Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 2 cups cubed, peeled butternut squash cut into 1 ½ to 2-inch cubes
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Quinoa
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Pumpkin Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
For the Salad
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or pepitas
Instructions
Roast Squash
- Toss squash chunks with the oil and salt. Spread the squash out onto a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender and starting to caramelize around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F,
Cook Quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Mix the rinsed quinoa, seasoned salt, and vegetable broth together in a medium stock pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a medium-low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Cool the quinoa until just slightly warm to the touch. I find the quickest way to do this, is to spread the cooked quinoa out onto a sheet pan and leave it on the counter for 10-15 minutes at room temperature.
Pumpkin Dressing
- Prepare the dressing by mixing the pumpkin puree, vinegar, maple syrup, oil, salt, pepper, and thyme together in a small bowl.
Assemble Quinoa Salad
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the cooked, cooled quinoa with the pumpkin dressing. Gently fold in the cranberries and roasted squash. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Right before serving, toss again, and then add nuts or pepitas and serve.
Ilana
Can you use sweet potato instead of butternut squash?
Kristen Chidsey
Absolutely!
Lisa
I made this as a side dish to bring to friends house for thanksgiving, so the verdict is still out on that let u know in a day what they thought. I roasted the butternut squash with coconut oil love the flavor it added my daughter and i snuck a little bowl when when were done making it that vinegerette is strong im sure as it sits in frig it will mello out and incorporate. This was good though and easy to make and filled us up thank u 4 sharing👍.Fingers crossed that company likes it to🤞
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing you enjoyed this Lisa and I am sure your company will as well. Happy Thanksgiving!
MARSHA L PATRICK
This is OUTSTANDING! I made the salad yesterday and let it sit over night in the refrigerator. It is simply amazing. Thank you so much for all of your great recipes, I haven't made one yet that my whole family didn't love!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing how much your family enjoys my recipe Marsha. Thank you for sharing!