Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash with Quinoa & Cranberries
This Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash with Quinoa & Cranberries recipe can be enjoyed as a warm, vegan fall salad or a tasty, gluten free side dish.
Once fall is in full swing I find myself thinking more towards warmer flavours and roasting veggies is high up on the list.
I also like to bring the heat so this Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash with Quinoa & Cranberries is a tasty combo.
Two funny things happened when I bought my squash.
First, I wrote butt nut squash on the shopping list which made me chuckle.
Secondly, well, every squash I picked up at the grocery store also made me chuckle. And yes, I can be extremely immature. 😉 But wouldn’t you laugh?
Look at this thing!
OK, kidding aside, I got to work peeling and cutting up my squash.
I roasted my squash with some smashed garlic and shallots. They were all tossed in olive oil and a couple of very generous pinches of chili flakes.
Spicy!
Meanwhile, cook up your quinoa.
I recommend using a tri-colour blend. Look for it in the bulk section of the grocery store or market. I like the contrast with the tri-colour and I find that it has a great texture. It’s also great in a cold grain salads come spring time.
*Note – I use this easy Instant Pot method for perfectly cooked quinoa*
Once the squash is all roasted and gorgeous, toss with the quinoa and add in some dried cranberries for a pop of sweetness.
Joe happily picks away at the chunks of squash (still can’t really get him on the quinoa train) and I usually serve this with honey mustard chicken and a simple salad.
*Originally posted January 20, 2014. Updated October 15, 2018*
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Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash with Quinoa & Cranberries
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash peeled & cut into chunks
- 3 shallots quartered
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp chili flakes optional
- sea salt & pepper to taste
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup dry quinoa
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Toss diced squash, shallots and garlic with olive oil, chili flakes, sea salt & pepper
- Spread evenly onto baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes, stirring at the halfway point
- Meanwhile cook quinoa according to package directions
- Stir cooked quinoa together with the roasted squash and top with dried cranberries
Amazing !! this salad looks delicious
Thanks Priya! It’s a Fall fave.
This sounds like easy, home cooking at its best. Yes, butternut (I actually typed in “butterbutt” the first time) squash is just begging to be made fun of, but oh so delicious. I will try this for sure. Still not madly in love with quinoa, but I’m willing to give it another shot. Anything with onions and garlic is a winner in my home. Thanks for sharing!
Not in love with quinoa?! LoL 🙂 Try the tri colour variety and see if the different textures can coax you. We really loved it, although Joe did pick around his quinoa. 🙂
Hahaha, that squash is hilarious! I love it.
Thanks for the shout out lady! Your blog is full of some pretty amazing posts too. 🙂
This one looks particularly scrumptious!
Thanks Sarah! There were a whole bin of these squash and I was dying at the store. Joe had to tell me to move along. 😉
Would like to make this for my dinner party this week. Looks delicious. How much quinoa?
Thanks.
OMG! Thanks for pointing that out! I can’t believe I forgot to put that in. 🙂 1 cup of dry quinoa cooked to the package instructions. I used veggie broth and sliced in 1/4 of an onion in the broth. I’ll update the recipe. Thanks so much for asking or I never would have noticed!
Have fun at the party!
Too funny. They are definitely interestingly shaped. 😀 I do love roasted butternut squash and quinoa. Actually made something kinda similar. Great minds think alike, right?! I love how you roasted it with shallots and garlic…yum!
Thanks Cindy 🙂 I’m definitely doing more cooking with the squash as the man of the house really, really liked it. That’s kind of a rarity! That reminds me … He certainly hasn’t read this post. I know there would have been a comment about the butternut squash/shape innuendo 😉 Busted!
Have a great week 🙂
Great sense of humour – I was thinking the same when I seen your picture.
This looks extremely tasty – are your shallots red onions? Are you baking the garlic pieces whole but smashed then obviously take it out once baked?
This dish looks delish 🙂
Hey Jo! I was dying at the store because there were at least 15-20 of them in the bin. They all looked like that photo!
I used the small shallots that are light purple skinned and the shape of a big almond. If you can’t find these, red onion would totally work. As far as the garlic, I’m smashing each clove and breaking them up a bit when I toss everything before roasting. After they’ve roasted the flavour is much milder so I leave them in when I toss it together with the quinoa. Just make sure if one eats the garlic, all should eat the garlic 😉
Haha! I had to laugh at your insinuation of what the squash looks like (and the name ‘butt nut’). Too funny! This meal looks like a lovely pairing of many of my favorites, and I’m definitely pinning it for later. 🙂
I feel better I’m not the only one with their mind in the gutter 😉 I could not help it! Please.
I hope you love it.
AMAZING!!! Didn’t have shallots but sweet onion worked well. Thank you for an
awesome healthy dinner . Xo
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I love the use of a sweet onion. This recipe is very adaptable. Have a great week 🙂
I totally agree – I feel like by having a blog, I challenge myself to try things I would have never tried before. This looks great!
Right?! I feel like it also helps to keep things so seasonal. Buying in season = better quality and less expensive 🙂
I must be immature too because I laughed. 😉
I love butternut squash though and this salad looks delicious!
Thanks Chels! I’m glad I’m not the only one 😉