Quinoa butternut squash salad

Tips: Perfecting your quinoa butternut squash salad

Check out our favourite tips to take your quinoa butternut squash salad from simple to spectacular. These ideas will boost the flavours and textures, making every bite impressively delicious.

Selecting the best butternut squash

For a truly memorable quinoa butternut squash salad, start by choosing the right squash. Look for one that is heavy for its size and has matte skin – this usually means it is ripe and packed with flavour. When cooked, it should turn deliciously creamy. Be sure to avoid any squash with soft spots or signs of decay; these could ruin both the flavour and texture of your salad.

Cooking fluffy quinoa

Rinse the quinoa under cold water to remove the bitter-tasting saponins, which will give it a clean, nutty flavour. When cooking, add a pinch of salt to enhance its taste. Keep an eye on the quinoa while it cooks; aim for a tender texture that still has some bite, much like ‘al dente’ pasta. Be careful not to overcook it, though; you want to avoid it turning mushy, which could spoil the variety of textures in your salad.

Use your leftovers

Got some leftover quinoa butternut squash salad? Try turning it into a tasty wrap! Just add a spread like mayonnaise, or throw in some roasted chicken or turkey for extra flavour. It is an easy way to breathe new life into leftovers and make a filling lunch.

Enjoy a warm quinoa butternut squash salad with white cheese

Gather friends and family around the dinner table and serve warm quinoa butternut squash salad. The salad is packed with thrilling ingredients that give every forkful something to look forward to. White cheese adds a creamy, tangy element to the soft butternut squash and fluffy quinoa. But that is just the beginning – there is so much more to look forward to in the salad.

Try more recipes with butternut squash, such as our roasted winter vegetables or butternut squash pizza. 

Tender roasted butternut squash paired with fluffy quinoa

There is something so satisfying about biting into tender butternut squash. It is soft and creamy, making every bite feel satisfying and comforting. Paired with fluffy quinoa, this recipe really lets the textures shine. That is not to say that the combination does not offer great flavours. On the contrary, it offers a lovely mix of sweet, caramelised butternut squash and mildly nutty quinoa. And when the quinoa is cooked just right, it soaks up all those delicious flavours from the other ingredients, making each bite a little bit better than the last.

With tart cranberries and crunchy pumpkin seeds

Dried cranberries not only brighten up the salad with their vibrant colour but also add little bursts of tangy sweetness. They bring a fresh touch to the mix. And for some balance, roasted pumpkin seeds are a perfect match. They add a rich, nutty flavour and a much-welcome crunch, which really ties everything together. It is all about that contrast!

Dressed with lemon-flavoured oil

To dress the salad, we use the leftover oil from the white cheese and mix it with a splash of tangy lemon juice. The oil has already been seasoned with smoky chilli, adding just the right amount of heat to the dressing. Together, they form a silky drizzle that brings the salad to life and allows the fluffy quinoa to soak up all those fresh, rich flavours.

Add your own touch

You can always adjust our recipe if you want to explore new flavours. For instance, pumpkin seeds can be replaced with toasted walnuts, pecans, or almonds, adding a similar crunch and nuttiness. Walnuts impart a rich, earthy, and slightly bitter flavour, while pecans have a sweet, buttery taste. Almonds bring a warm, nutty aroma, subtle sweetness, and a satisfying crunch.

If you want to add more vegetables to the salad, try roasted parsnips, sweet potatoes, or both. For a festive touch, swap cranberries for pomegranate seeds, which add a tangy sweetness perfect for winter.