Epic combo of Roasted Squash and Pomegranate with Arugula and Quinoa dressed with a simple Maple Vinaigrette to make all your autumn salad dreams come true! Call it a salad if you want, but serve it to me all fall and winter too as a delicious hearty lunch or light dinner.
Seriously, you had me at arugula salad with quinoa! We’re talking easy components with high impact….just the way I like my vegan comfort food.
Roasted Delicata Squash with cozy spices is totally my jam…it’s the perfect winter squash for quick and easy fall salad recipe…because it’s soft and tender, super tasty, you don’t have to peel it, it’s easy to cut and roasts up quickly in the oven. While the squash roasts and the quinoa cooks, you can have everything else done and ready. Wow….a harvest salad in under 30 minutes…bravo!
Substitute acorn squash for the delicata and you still won’t have to peel the squash…love edible skin of squash that makes life so much easier! You can definitely use roasted butternut squash in this recipe, and I would buy it already peeled and cubed to continue with the easy recipe theme….but if you’re looking specifically for a roasted butternut squash salad, I highly suggest my butternut and beetroot salad...divine.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Greens: Thinly sliced elephant kale is fabulous as an addition to or instead of the arugula. You can use whatever leafy greens you want, but if you’re able to choose something heartier (like kale, collards, brussels sprout tops or shredded brussels, radicchio, or chard) any salad already tossed in the dressing will hold up better as leftovers.
- Quinoa: Technically quinoa is a seed, rather than a grain. It’s a wholesome, naturally gluten-free choice that adds more protein than many grains (sub with spelt, kamut, teff or amaranth for other higher protein grain options), and also a good amount of fiber.
- Roasted squash: I adore delicata squash….it’s tender and takes on spices well, plus the skin softens and is edible…so no need to peel. Sub with acorn squash for the same reasons. You can use any winter squash, but the other varieties will need to be peeled, adding an extra step.
- Maple Vinaigrette: It’s super quick and easy to make with just a handful of simple pantry ingredients, and truly delicious.
- Peas: So easy when you use frozen peas….and you could substitute frozen shelled edamame. I have also used chickpeas, kidney beans or small white beans.
- Cabbage: Green or red cabbage is great to add some crunch, texture and color to this salad. Savoy cabbage or napa cabbage are also great choices.
- Shallots: slice super thin, or dice for just a touch in each bite. Substitute with scallions or red onion.
How to Roast Delicata Squash for Salad
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
No need to peel the squash, but do wash the outside well with water and pat dry. Trim off the ends, then cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
Place each half skin side down and cut into ¼″ strips lengthwise. Then, cut across the other way to create ¼″ cubes.
Put diced squash on rimmed baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, cinnamon, coriander and salt. Mix well.
Roast in preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Larger cubes may need up to 18 minutes to soften.
Make Maple Vinaigrette
Gather maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, cinnamon, garlic powder and sea salt in small jar, pitcher or bowl.
Whisk together until emulsified with spices well incorporated. Or use a jar with tight fitting lid and shake vigorously.
How to make the arugula quinoa salad
Thinly slice cabbage and shallot. Cook quinoa according to package directions (use double the water to quinoa, rinse quinoa well, simmer for 15 minutes).
Lay a bed of arugula on bottom of platter, place roasted squash, cooked quinoa, sliced cabbage and shallots, peas and pomegranate seeds on top of greens.
Pour dressing over the composed salad and toss well to thoroughly combine.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- Save time: buy pomegranate arils in a container rather than the whole fruit.
- Don’t get hung up on exact amounts of the chopped veggies and be open to substitutions that are in your fridge….red cabbage rather than green, edamame inste
- Nuts: sprinkle on chopped walnuts, pecans or pumpkin seeds for the crunch factor.
- Any leftover cooked grains can be used as a substitute for quinoa.
- A pinch of cayenne pepper in the maple vinaigrette will spice things up!
- Roast the squash and cook the quinoa up to 3 days ahead and you can pull this salad together in just a couple minutes.
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📖 Recipe
Quinoa Arugula Salad with Pomegranate
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa 3 cups cooked
- 2 delicata squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 5 oz arugula 4-5 cups
- 3 cups shredded cabbage about ½ head
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 pomegranate about 1 cup pomegranate arils
Maple Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cook quinoa: Rinse quinoa in a sieve. Combine with 2 cups water in small saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, uncovered for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and fluff with a fork.
- Roast squash: Wash outside of squash and pat dry. Trim off stem end and then cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. A grapefruit spoon makes this easier. Cut each half into long strips and then across to make small cubes, about ¼" in size. Place on rimmed baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with cinnamon, cumin, coriander and salt. Mix well. Roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Make maple vinaigrette: whisk together olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, cinnamon, garlic powder and salt. Or, place all ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid and shake vigorously until well blended.
- Thinly slice cabbage and shallot, remove seeds from pomegranate.
- Arrange arugula on bottom of serving platter. Pile on the roasted squash, quinoa, pomegranate seeds, cabbage, peas and shallot. Pour on maple salad dressing and mix well.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
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