Warm Quinoa Butternut Cranberries (Printable)

Fluffy quinoa paired with roasted squash, cranberries, and toasted nuts for a nutritious, hearty dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 small butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs), peeled and diced
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 2 cups baby spinach

→ Fruits & Nuts

07 - 1/2 cup dried cranberries
08 - 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss diced butternut squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender and golden.
02 - While squash roasts, rinse quinoa under cold water. Combine quinoa and water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup or honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted butternut squash, baby spinach, red onion, dried cranberries, and chopped nuts.
05 - Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling enough to be your whole lunch, yet light enough you won't feel sluggish afterward.
  • The flavors get better as it sits, so you can make it ahead without guilt.
  • It looks restaurant-quality but takes barely an hour from start to finish.
  • It's naturally vegetarian, gluten-free, and impresses people who don't usually eat salads.
02 -
  • Toast your nuts separately in a dry skillet for 2–3 minutes before adding them—this one step transforms them from forgettable to genuinely delicious.
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa; undercooked, it tastes bitter and slightly soapy, which is the one thing that will make people push it around their bowl.
  • The salad actually tastes better after sitting for a few hours as the flavors meld and the spinach becomes more tender.
03 -
  • If your quinoa comes out mushy, you're using too much liquid or cooking it too long—measure carefully and set a timer, then step away.
  • Invest in a good apple cider vinegar; cheap versions taste thin and harsh, while good ones taste fruity and round out the dressing beautifully.

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