If you're searching for a delicious vegetarian salad packed with flavor and healthy ingredients, this Instant Pot Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad could be a great choice.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Healthy and Flavorful: This salad is packed with nutritious butternut squash and protein-rich quinoa.
- Quick and Easy: The Instant Pot slashes cooking time, making it a breeze to prepare.
- Versatile Dish: Serve it as a main, a side, or a wholesome lunch option.
📋 Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to put this butternut squash quinoa salad together.
- Quinoa: Adds a slightly nutty flavor and a delightful texture to the salad.
- Butter: Gives the quinoa a rich, buttery taste and helps in sautéing the veggies.
- Sweet or Red Onion: Adds a bit of sharpness and sweetness that balances the other flavors.
- Red Bell Pepper & Green Pepper: Provide a vibrant color contrast and a sweet crunch to the salad.
- Sweet Corn: Brings a hint of sweetness and an enjoyable texture to the dish.
- Black Beans: Add protein and fiber, making the salad more filling and nutritious.
- Minced Garlic: Infuses the dish with a robust, aromatic kick that complements the other flavors perfectly.
- Chicken Broth: Used to cook the quinoa, it adds depth and savory flavors.
- Coarse Ground Garlic Salt, Seasoned Salt or Kosher Salt, Black Pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance the natural flavors of the ingredients.
- Butternut Squash: Adds a sweet, nutty flavor and a hearty texture that makes this salad truly satisfying.
- Water: Helps to cook the butternut squash to a perfect, tender consistency.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
I love experimenting with food, and if you do too, you can bring in your own variations to this salad.
- You can consider roasting butternut squash instead of cooking it in the Instant Pot. The roasted butternut squash will lend the salad a nice, rustic and earthy flavor. The roasted squash can also be a great side, when seasoned correctly.
- If you love making sheet pan meals, you can work this recipe out in that way too. Just lay some vegetables mixed with seasonings and olive oil and some chopped butternut squash quinoa on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake until cooked. You can then combine the roasted vegetables with cooked quinoa and top it all with some fresh herbs.
- The black beans are essentially what lend this salad a lot of protein. If you don't have black beans, you could use canned (and drained) chickpeas instead.
🔪How To Make Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
Once you have all the salad ingredients ready, here's the step by step process you'll need to follow.
First, rinse the quinoa in a strainer under cold water for about 2 minutes.
Place the butter in a skillet, and when it's melted, add the chopped onion, and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the quinoa and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, corn, and beans, stir, and cook on medium-high heat an additional 5 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, water, garlic salt, seasoned salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat to low, and add the minced garlic, stir well, cover the sauce pan with a lid, and simmer the quinoa mixture for about 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.
While the Quinoa mixture is simmering, rinse the Butternut squash under cold water, and dry with a paper towel.
Cut the stem off the Squash, and place the trivet in the Instant Pot.
Add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot, and place the Butternut squash on the Trivet, and place the lid on the Instant Pot until it beeps and locks.
Make sure the pressure valve is set to 'SEALING'.
Press the manual button, and set the time for 6 minutes.
When the squash is done the Instant Pot will beep and go to off. Do a quick release by turning the pressure valve to 'VENTING' from Sealing, and allow all the pressure to be released.
When the pressure has all been released, and the float valve (stem) is all the way down, remove the lid from the Instant Pot.
Remove the Butternut Squash with a heavy kitchen towel, or a pot holder, and place on a plate.
Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, with a sharp (preferably serrated) knife. Butter the inside of the squash. Slice the inside of the squash, (but not the skin) in bite size pieces.
Add the chopped squash to the quinoa mixture, and stir to blend. You can either plate the squash mixture, or fill the Butternut squash skins with the quinoa mixture for a dramatic presentation.
Serve, and Enjoy
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- We've used butter for this recipe, but if you really want to stick to using healthy fats, you can use olive oil.
- I also think this salad can be a great way to get some more greens on your plate. Consider adding your favorite greens like chopped kale or baby spinach into the mix towards the end.
- To cut down the cooking time for this recipe, you can use pre cut butternut squash or cooked squash too!
- To turn this into a vegan friendly casserole or salad, swap the chicken broth and use a veggie broth instead.
- If you want this salad to have fall flavors, you can add some more seasonings like dried rosemary and thyme.
- If you want to give this salad a bit of a spicy kick, you can also add some chili powder or a dash of hot sauce into it.
- To balance the heat in the salad, you can add some maple syrup too!
- I also love bringing some tart flavors into the salad, and if you do too, you can also add a dash of apple cider vinegar or some lime juice into it.
💭 FAQs
The best way to store any leftovers that you might have is to transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them. You could also just transfer them into a clean mason jar and pop them in the refrigerator. To freeze Instant Pot Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad, place it in airtight containers, ensuring it's cooled to room temperature, and store in the freezer for up to three months, but note that the texture of certain ingredients may be affected upon thawing.
Yes, using pre-cut butternut squash can save time and effort. Ensure that the pieces are uniformly sized to promote even cooking. If you prefer to cut the squash yourself, start by slicing off the top and bottom, peeling the skin, scooping out the seeds, and then cutting it into uniform cubes.
To infuse the quinoa with more flavor, consider cooking it in vegetable broth instead of water. Additionally, sautéing the quinoa briefly with onions and garlic before cooking can add depth to its taste.
Yes, this salad is excellent for meal prepping. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. For optimal freshness, keep the dressing separate and toss it with the salad just before serving.
You can easily add more vegetables to suit your taste. Leafy greens like spinach or kale work well, and fruits like apples or pomegranate add a sweet crunch. For texture, you can toss in nuts or seeds like toasted pecans or pepitas. Dried fruits like cranberries are also a great addition for a touch of sweetness.
Serving Suggestions
This quinoa salad is a great side to serve with the following meat options:
- Pulled Pork: The savory richness of pulled pork complements the sweet and nutty flavors of the salad. Consider serving it with a tangy barbecue sauce to balance the sweetness of the squash.
- BBQ Chicken: Grilled or baked BBQ chicken adds a smoky and slightly sweet flavor that works well with the quinoa salad. Opt for a honey BBQ sauce for a touch of sweetness or a spicy version for a kick.
- Grilled Steak: A perfectly grilled steak, especially with a garlic herb butter, adds a hearty and flavorful contrast to the lighter, healthier salad.
- Roasted Turkey Breast: For a leaner option, roasted turkey breast with a hint of sage or thyme complements the earthy flavors in the salad.
- Crispy Pork Belly: If you’re looking for something indulgent, crispy pork belly offers a crunchy, savory bite that contrasts nicely with the softness of the quinoa and butternut squash.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 sweet or red onion chopped or Diced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped or Diced
- 1 green pepper chopped or Diced
- 1 cup sweet corn
- 1 can of black beans rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt or Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Large butternut squash
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- First, rinse the quinoa in a strainer under cold water for about 2 minutes.
- Place the butter in a skillet, and when it's melted, add the chopped onion, and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the quinoa and sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, corn, and beans, stir, and cook on medium high heat an additional 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, water, garlic salt, seasoned salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Turn the heat to low, and add the minced garlic, stir well, cover the sauce pan with a lid, and simmer the quinoa mixture for about 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.
- While the Quinoa mixture is simmering, rinse the Butternut squash under cold water, and dry with a paper towel.
- Cut the stem off the Squash, and place the trivet in the Instant Pot.
- Add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot, and place the Butternut squash on the Trivet, and place the lid on the Instant Pot until it beeps and locks.
- Make sure the pressure valve is set to 'SEALING'.
- Press the manual button, and set the time for 6 minutes.
- When the squash is done the Instant Pot will beep and go to off. Do a quick release by turning the pressure valve to 'VENTING' from Sealing, and allow all the pressure to be released.
- When the pressure has all been released, and the float valve (stem) is all the way down, remove the lid from the Instant Pot.
- Remove the Butternut Squash with a heavy kitchen towel, or a pot holder, and place on a plate.
- Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, with a sharp (preferably serrated) knife. Butter the inside of the squash. Slice the inside of the squash, (but not the skin) in bite size pieces.
- Add the chopped squash to the quinoa mixture, and stir to blend. You can either plate the squash mixture, or fill the Butternut squash skins with the quinoa mixture for a dramatic presentation. (See photo's).
- Serve, and Enjoy
Notes
Nutrition
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