--- title: "Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad" id: "11782" type: "post" slug: "roasted-butternut-squash-and-quinoa-salad" published_at: "2021-11-16T16:12:46+00:00" modified_at: "2024-06-19T13:46:33+00:00" url: "https://mondaydreams.com/2021/11/16/roasted-butternut-squash-and-quinoa-salad/" markdown_url: "https://mondaydreams.com/2021/11/16/roasted-butternut-squash-and-quinoa-salad.md" excerpt: "This salad has one of my favorite flavor combos: roasted butternut squash + pecans + dried cranberries. So so good. It’s especially good when paired with quinoa, roasted red onions and spinach. And let’s not forget about the tahini-balsamic dressing,..." taxonomy_category: - "Mains" - "Salads and Buddha Bowls" taxonomy_language: - "English" taxonomy_post_translations: - "pll_618aec0d54fc3" --- # Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad by [Gaby](https://mondaydreams.com/author/gabysommer/) on [November 16, 2021](https://mondaydreams.com/2021/11/16/roasted-butternut-squash-and-quinoa-salad/) in [Mains](https://mondaydreams.com/category/mains/) , [Salads and Buddha Bowls](https://mondaydreams.com/category/salads/) [Jump to Recipe](#recipe) [Print Recipe](https://mondaydreams.com/wprm_print/roasted-butternut-squash-and-quinoa-salad) This salad has one of my favorite flavor combos: roasted butternut squash + pecans + dried cranberries. So so good. It’s especially good when paired with quinoa, roasted red onions and spinach. And let’s not forget about the tahini-balsamic dressing, pure magic! I make this hearty salad at least once a month and I never get tired of it! It’s super tasty and filling and full of the good stuff. We all know veggies (like butternut squash, onions and spinach), nuts and seeds (hi there, tahini dressing) are good for your health, but did you know quinoa is AMAZING?!? It’s protein-rich (it’s a complete protein, meaning it has all 20 amino acids, that’s rare for a plant), fiber-rich and offers an array of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Want to know more about quinoa? Check out this [link](https://draxe.com/nutrition/10-quinoa-nutrition-facts-benefits/) . Because it has quinoa, nuts and vegetables, I love having this salad on its own, but it can be a delicious side as well. And it’s totally share-worthy, trust me, it’s a hit with family and friends. So, if you are wondering what to bring to your next dinner party, this roasted butternut squash and quinoa salad could be just what you need! Think crunchy nuts, soft quinoa, roasted butternut squash, caramelized red onions and tart, chewy cranberries! The textures, the flavors, the oh-so-yummy tahini balsamic dressing, what’s not to like?! Love the sound of everything I’ve just said?! Then you have to try my [Tasty Quinoa, Butternut Squash and Pecan Patties](https://mondaydreams.com/2020/10/14/tasty-quinoa-butternut-squash-and-pecan-patties/) , they are simple, wholesome and super flavorful! This Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad is packed with wonderful fall flavors so it’s perfect for those colder months. But I also love to have this salad on a warm, sunny day, because, well… salads and summer go hand in hand. **If you try this beautiful salad, let us know what you think, leave a comment below or tag us on [Instagram @mondaydreamsblog](https://www.instagram.com/mondaydreamsblog/) . We love hearing from you!** ## Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad Simple, nourishing and incredibly delicious Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad with tahini balsamic dressing. Super tasty, filling and full of the good stuff! [Print Recipe](https://mondaydreams.com/wprm_print/roasted-butternut-squash-and-quinoa-salad) [Pin Recipe](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/bookmarklet/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmondaydreams.com%2F2021%2F11%2F16%2Froasted-butternut-squash-and-quinoa-salad%2F&media=https%3A%2F%2Fmondaydreams.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F11%2F0061-roasted-butternut-squash-and-quinoa-qalad-0001-web-1.jpg&description=Roasted+Butternut+Squash+and+Quinoa+Salad&is_video=false) Prep Time 10 minutes mins Cook Time 25 minutes mins Servings 2 mains - 4 sides ### Ingredients #### SALAD - 2cupbutternut squash,chopped into bit size pieces – measured after chopping - 1small red onion,chopped into bit size pieces - 1Tbspolive oil - ¼tspgarlic powder - ¼tspsmoked paprika - ¼cupuncooked quinoa - 3Tbsppecans,tightly packed - 3Tbspdried cranberries,tightly packed - 4 - 5cupsbaby spinach – arugula or mizuna are delicious too - ⅓cupparsley,finely chopped - Sea salt and pepper to taste #### DRESSING - 2Tbsptahini - 1Tbspbalsamic vinegar - 1Tbspwater - 2tspapple cider vinegar - 2tsplemon juice - 2tspDijon mustard - 1tspcoconut nectar or maple syrup ### Instructions - Preheat the oven to 350 °F / 180 °C. Place pecans on a baking sheet (no oil) and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Remove and let cool, then roughly chop the pecans. - Place onions and butternut squash on the baking sheet, add olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and toss with a spoon until the vegetables are evenly coated. Then arrange them in a single layer. - Bake for 10 minutes, toss again to make sure the vegetables are roasted even and bake for an extra 10 – 15 minutes. Until they are tender and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool. - While the squash is in the oven, cook the quinoa. Rinse well, add quinoa to a small saucepan and cover it with lots of water. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes; until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. - Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside. - To assemble the salad, place spinach, quinoa, roasted vegetables, chopped pecans, dried cranberries and parsley in a big bowl. Toss gently to combine. - Serve with tahini balsamic dressing. Enjoy! ### Search ### Recent Post - [Single-Serve Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie](https://mondaydreams.com/2025/12/04/single-serve-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookie/) - [Herbed Quinoa Pea Salad](https://mondaydreams.com/2025/10/21/herbed-quinoa-pea-salad/) - [Greek-Inspired Potato Stew](https://mondaydreams.com/2025/09/30/greek-inspired-potato-stew/) - [No Churn Vegan Chocolate Almond Ice Cream](https://mondaydreams.com/2025/09/23/no-churn-vegan-chocolate-almond-ice-cream/) - [Apple Pecan Cookies](https://mondaydreams.com/2025/08/18/apple-pecan-cookies/) ### Archives Archives Select Month December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 June 2025 April 2025 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 January 2017 ### Leave a Reply [Cancel reply](/2021/11/16/roasted-butternut-squash-and-quinoa-salad/#respond) You must be [logged in](https://mondaydreams.com/wp-login.php?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fmondaydreams.com%2F2021%2F11%2F16%2Froasted-butternut-squash-and-quinoa-salad%2F) to post a comment.