I like to think of this baked butternut squash salad as a hybrid of both my fall harvest salad and my roasted red pepper salad.
This salad has all the fall vibes, with tons of roasted honeynut squash, caramelized red onion, and fluffy quinoa, plus tons of zest and brightness from the maple dijon dressing and fresh herbs like dill and parsley. All in all, the perfect cozy salad bowl!
Now, I’m not going to lie, there are a few moving parts to this salad. However, since I view this salad as a main meal (not just a side dish) I think it’s worth the time and effort. That said, if you did want to plan ahead and prep this for the week, feel free to do so. Outlining here exactly how to prep this roasted butternut squash salad recipe ahead of time.
Ingredients For This Baked Butternut Squash Salad
Outlining everything you’ll need for this warm butternut squash salad, along with a few ingredient notes!
- Butternut squash or squash of choice: I love using honeynut squash in lieu of butternut squash!
- Red onion
- Canned chickpeas
- Quinoa: If you’re not a fan of quinoa, farro, bulgur wheat, and wild rice are all good substitutes.
- Fresh herbs, including dill and parsley
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Maple syrup
- Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt
- Spices and aromatics: Including cayenne pepper, ground cumin, and garlic. Feel free to use fresh garlic if you prefer (I get lazy and just use powdered garlic).
Few Notes + Tips
- This salad is super meal-prep-friendly! Store the roasted veggies, chickpeas, and quinoa in separate glass containers (one container for the veg, one container for the quinoa). And store the dressing in a glass jar or bottle. When you’re ready to make the salad, warm the roasted veggies, chickpeas, and quinoa in the oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes at 400°F. Then toss with the dressing and fresh herbs.
- Feel free to use any squash you like – butternut squash (duh), kabocha squash, and honeynut squash are my top three favorites for this salad. They have a great depth of flavor and retain some bite after roasting (instead of just becoming super mushy like most squash).
Can’t wait for you to make this baked butternut squash salad – it’s super straightforward and tastes phenomenal. Plus, it’s loaded with nutrients and a completely balanced meal!! If you have any questions, leave a comment below or send me a DM on Instagram.
Happy fall my friends!
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Baked Butternut Squash Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Description
This salad has all the fall vibes, with tons of roasted honeynut squash, caramelized red onion, and fluffy quinoa, plus tons of zest and brightness from the maple dijon dressing and fresh herbs like dill and parsley. All in all, the perfect cozy salad bowl!
Ingredients
Quinoa
- 3/4 cup (145 g) dry quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups (330 g) water
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Veggies & Herbs
- 1 medium honeynut squash, cut into small cubes (180 g)
- 1 small red onion, cut into wedges (175 g)
- 1 can (13.4 oz or 380 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Olive oil and kosher salt for roasting
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
Maple Dijon Dressing
- 3 tbsp (30 g) olive oil
- 3 tbsp (40 g) lemon juice
- 1–2 tbsp (20 g or 38 g) maple syrup (start with 1 tbsp and add the additional tbsp if you want the dressing sweeter)
- 1 tbsp (15 g) dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/4 tsp each cayenne pepper, ground cumin, and garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the quinoa. Add the quinoa, water, and salt into a pot, place on the stove on high heat, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot with a lid, and let the quinoa cook for 15-20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. This next step is key; turn the heat off, fully cover the pot with the lid, and let the quinoa sit for 10 minutes. The “sitting” helps the quinoa steam and cook off any excess water.
- Roast the veggies and chickpeas. While the quinoa cooks, add the squash, onion, and chickpeas to the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil and salt and toss to combine. Roast the veggies and chickpeas for 25-30 minutes or until the squash and onion are slightly charred and the chickpeas are golden brown and crispy.
- Prepare the dressing and herbs. While the quinoa and veggies roast, prep the dressing. Add all of the ingredients into a large jar and whisk well. Taste and adjust for salt and maple syrup as needed. I like the dressing on the sweeter side, but I would start with just 1 tbsp of syrup and the extra tbsp of syrup if you want it sweeter.
- Assemble the salad. At this point, both the quinoa and veggies should be done. Add the quinoa into a large serving bowl, followed by the roasted veggies, chickpeas, dill, and parsley. Pour over half the dressing and toss to combine. Taste and add more dressing and salt as needed. Serve immediately while the salad is still warm! Feel free to add some crumbled feta and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) as well.
I enjoyed this so much, I ate it all week for lunch and it got better and better in flavor. I’m making another batch today.