If you haven’t been to Smitten Kitchen for recipe ideas, you’re missing out on a trove of tasty meals. I find that a lot of recipes start there and get reblogged several times. And so is the case with the Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Quinoa Salad. I first saw it on BCLiving, and now I’m sharing it with you!
Salad Ingredients:
• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 medium garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• One can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
Dressing Ingredients:
• 1 medium garlic clove
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel, remove seeds, and cube the butternut squash. Then coat with garlic, olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.
2. Roast the squash in the oven on a baking sheet or in an oven-safe dish for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked. Allow to cool.
3. Cook the quinoa from package directions. Allow to cool.
4. While squash and quinoa are cooking, make the dressing. Combine garlic, lemon juice and tahini. Add water and olive oil until the dressing drizzles easily. Add more water if necessary.
5. Combine squash with chickpeas, red onion, red bell pepper, cilantro, and quinoa.
6. Toss gently with tahini dressing until thoroughly coated. Serve warm with fresh ground pepper to taste.
(You’ll notice there’s no cilantro in this – I’ve made it both with and without, and with cilantro is definitely better.)
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