Delicious pumpkin quinoa salad is full flavour and texture. With roasted pumpkin, tender quinoa, crunchy pecans and chewy cranberries, it's a winner!
Ingredients
- 1 small pumpkin or medium butternut squash (about 1.4kg/3lb)
- 1 tablespoon oil (notes 1)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (notes 1)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ cup pecans (90g/~3oz)
- ½ cup quinoa rinsed well (100g/3 ½oz)
- 1 medium spring onion (green onion/scallion) finely sliced
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries (40g/~1 ½ oz)
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh mint
MAPLE ORANGE VINAIGRETTE
- ⅓ cup light flavoured olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (notes 1)
- 2 tablespoon orange juice (notes 1)
- 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (notes 1)
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- large baking sheet
- medium saucepan
- Large salad bowl
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan forced) / 395F. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper or aluminium foil.
- Peel and remove the seeds from the pumpkin. Cut into 2.5cm/1 inch slices, then cut those into 2-3 pieces - a good mouthful. You can leave the pumpkin skin on if you like it.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the pumpkin on top. Mix with the oil, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, salt, pepper and paprika. Mix well and roast for about 20 minutes. Drizzle over 2 more teaspoons of maple syrup, toss the pieces of pumpkin around and flip them, then bake for a further 20-25 minutes or until looking golden and caramelised on the edges.
- Once finished, lift the pumpkin off the baking sheet, using the baking paper and set aside. Scatter the pecans on the baking tray and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden brown. Be careful not to let them burn. Transfer immediately to a large bowl to stop cooking.
- Meanwhile, place the rinsed quinoa into a small saucepan. Cover with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down to very low and cook for 15 minutes until the quinoa is cooked through. Take it off the heat, leaving the lid on and let it sit for 10 further minutes before fluffing up with a fork.
- In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients and shake well.
- To a large bowl, add the salad ingredients with half the dressing and mix well to combine. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
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Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
- Nutrition details are approximate only - scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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Nutrition information is approximate only and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use and any changes you make may cause variations.
