Vegan Kale, Butternut Squash + Quinoa Salad

Healthy and nutrient-packed kale, Quinoa & Butternut squash salad. Perfect for a healthy meal-prep option any day of the week! vegan, GF, DF!

CourseMain

CuisineAmerican

DietGluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Freezer friendlyNo

Shelf life5 Days

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time35 minutes

Total Time40 minutes

Servings Jar

Calories491kcal

Ingredients

When making ahead, I always prepare this butternut squash salad in a large jar (750ml). However, you can also prepare it into any container/bowl that you'd prefer.

Preheat the oven to 400 degreed Fahrenheit/ 200C, then slice and peel the butternut squash. It's best to use a sharp knife to do this - I like to cut it in half lengthways first and then slice it. You could also cube the squash if preferred.
Place on a parchment paper-lined tray and brush with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast the squash for 25-40 minutes, turning over once halfway through, until slightly caramelized and crisp on the outside, and tender in the middle. Depending on how thick you've sliced the pieces, the baking time will vary. I recommend you check after 25-30 minutes and then continue to bake as needed.

After placing the squash in the oven, you can start preparing the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve with cold water until the water runs almost clear (30-40 seconds, usually)
Once drained, add the quinoa to your pan with a little coconut oil and lightly saute for 3-4 minutes, until sizzling with a nutty aroma. Then, add the stock to the pan and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for between 20-25 minutes until the water is almost absorbed and the quinoa is near tender (it may take slightly longer).
Remove from the heat and cover with a lid, allowing it to steam for a further five minutes. I usually place a layer of teatowel between the lid and pot at this point. This will catch the steam so that it doesn't gather on the cover and then drip back down onto the quinoa. The result is perfectly cooked, fluffy quinoa!

To prepare the dressing, crush the garlic and add it with the olive oil and lemon juice to a blender or hand whisk for a chunkier dressing.
If you're eating the salad immediately or within a few hours, then you'll then need to massage the kale to help tenderize the leaves. It's best to use your hands so you can spread the dressing evenly across the kale.
If you plan to meal-prep this salad, then skip this step for now (read recipe notes).
To prepare the remainder of the salad thinly slice the pepper and radish. The cherry tomatoes can stay whole. You are now ready to assemble the salad jar.
Fill up your Quinoa & Butternut squash salad jar by layering the different ingredients. The quinoa goes first, then the peppers. You can then add the radish and cherry tomatoes. Add the butternut squash slices and top it all with the kale.

This roasted butternut squash salad is best eaten on the same day as the kale is massaged, as the leaves will become softer and more wilted as it sits.
However, if you follow the guidelines for making this salad in advance (dressing to the side), then you can keep it stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Top Tip: the acids in the dressing will naturally break down the kale leaves, when left to sit, without the need to massage. So, if you want to make the salad a few days in advance, then you can add the dressing on the day or night before, and allow it to sit for a while before serving
You can optionally soak the quinoa overnight, pre-cooking, to help reduce the phytic acid content and reduce the cooking time.
You could use pumpkin, sweet potato, or another squash in place of butternut squash, though the cooking time may vary.

Read the Ingredient Variations & Additions section of the blog post for more ways that you can customize this salad.

gazaer