• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Wendy Polisi
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Healthy Living
    • Essential Oils
      • DIY Beauty and Personal Care
      • DIY Green Cleaning Recipes
    • Health Concerns
    • Supplements
  • Lifestyle
  • About
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookies Policy
    • Terms of Service and Conditions
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Healthy Living
    • Essential Oils
      • DIY Beauty and Personal Care
      • DIY Green Cleaning Recipes
    • Health Concerns
    • Supplements
  • Lifestyle
  • About
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookies Policy
    • Terms of Service and Conditions
×

Home » Gluten Free Recipes » Roasted Butternut Squash Cranberry & Arugula Quinoa Salad

Roasted Butternut Squash Cranberry & Arugula Quinoa Salad

Published: Oct 17, 2015 by Wendy Polisi Modified: Nov 12, 2020 · 548 words. · About 3 minutes to read this article. This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Sharing is caring!

5120 shares
  • Share3746
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Looking for a fall salad that will leave your tastebuds singing? This Roasted Butternut Squash, Cranberry, and Arugula Quinoa Salad is guaranteed to hit the spot. It offers the best flavors of the season in a glorious celebration of color.

When I was growing up, the only type of salads that were on the menu were ones with iceberg lettuce that were drowning in ranch dressing. They just weren't a big thing when I was a kid.

As I got a big older, I became inspired by the salad bar at our local Rax Roast Beef Restaurant. For those of you who don't know, this was a fast food restaurant popular in the '80s.

Pretty crazy that my first love of vegetables came from a fast food establishment.Roasted Butternut Squash, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad I am pretty sure that in my late teens and early twenties, the only time I ever ate salad was when I ordered it out.

Now, the opposite is true.

I rarely order a salad out, because I'm convinced that I can make a better one at home. And I make salads at home ALL the time.

It is funny how the way we eat evolves over time. When I was younger, I craved sweets. Now I crave salty. And veggies! Thank God I crave veggies and eating them doesn't feel like a chore to me. This makes up for the fact that I also crave wine and cheese, right?

Roasted Butternut Squash, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad

Today's Roasted Butternut Squash Cranberry & Arugula Quinoa Salad is just the kind of salad I love. It makes a great vegan meal, but also works beautifully as a side.

How have your eating habits changed over time?

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Roasted Butternut Squash, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad

This is the kind of dish that I make for the holidays and then wonder why I don’t make year around. Dishes like this one just make me feel good! This Roasted Butternut Squash Cranberry & Arugula Quinoa Salad is the perfect fall and winter salad to fuel your day. Gluten Free & Vegan
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time55 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American, Gluten Free, Healthy, Quinoa
Servings: 6
Calories: 290kcal
Author: Wendy Polisi

Ingredients

  • 2 lb butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 cups arugula
  • 1.5 cups cooked quinoa
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • Dressing
  • ¼ cup olive oil or Chia Gel: water + ½ tablespoon chia seeds OR
  • 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
  • If using chia gel in place of oil, combine water and chia seeds. Stir well with a fork and set aside to form a gel.
  • In a large bowl combine butternut squash chunks, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss until well combined and place on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Allow to cool.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine arugula, quinoa, sunflower seeds and cranberries. Make the dressing by combining chia gel or oil, vinegar, maple syrup and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste and whisk again.
  • Add cooled squash to the arugula mixture. Drizzle desired amount of dressing and toss gently. Serve immediately.
  • If preparing ahead, wait until just prior to serving to toss.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 701mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 16310IU | Vitamin C: 33.7mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 2.3mg

If You Like This Post You May Also Like:

  • 101 Quinoa Salads
Roasted Butternut Squash Cranberry & Arugula Quinoa Salad
« Strawberry Pecan Hemp Seed Salad with Spicy Chocolate Vinaigrette
Vegan Chocolate & Salted Caramel Frozen Cupcakes »

About Wendy Polisi

Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 10 & 11 and my late life princess is 3. Firm believers in lifestyle design, our family has been location independent since 2008. Join me to read about our adventures in the kitchen…and out!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shannon Graham

    October 10, 2017 at 11:29 pm

    5 stars
    I have butternut squash needing to be used right now!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 22 Winter Salads to Supercharge Your Diet - Wendy Polisi says:
    January 2, 2016 at 8:05 PM

    […] Roasted Butternut Squash, Cranberry & Arugula Quinoa Salad by Wendy Polisi […]

    Reply
  2. 101 Sensational Quinoa Salads That You Should Try - Wendy Polisi says:
    May 27, 2017 at 6:02 AM

    […] and Crispy Quinoa Salad Harvest Quinoa Salad Roasted Fruit and Vegetable Quinoa Salad Roasted Butternut Squash Cranberry and Arugula Quinoa Salad Maple Glazed Salmon with Cranberry Pecan Quinoa Salad Zucchini Feta Quinoa Salad Sweet and […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Favorites

Square overhead photo of Blackstone Fajitas garnished with lime and cilantro.
Square close up photo of a thai chicken salad on a white plate.
Square overhead photo of cheesy scalloped potatoes with a spoon sitting next to them.
Square close up photo of caramelized onion risotto in a white bowl.
Close up square photo of a California Club Pizza.
Square close up photo of a cranberry chicken salad sandwich.

Family, Food & Fun!

Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 10 & 11 and my late life princess is 3. Firm believers in lifestyle design, our family has been location independent since 2008. Join me to read about our adventures in the kitchen…and out! Read More…

Copyright © 2022 Wendy Polisi · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclosure