Roasted Butternut Maple Quinoa Bowl (Printable)
Roasted butternut and quinoa with maple-pecan crunch, greens and a tangy Dijon-maple vinaigrette for a hearty vegetarian bowl.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)
02 - 2 cups baby spinach or arugula
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Grains
04 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
05 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth
→ Maple Pecan Crunch
06 - 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Dressing
11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Garnishes
16 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Toss the diced butternut squash and sliced red onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25–30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the squash is tender and caramelized at the edges.
03 - While the squash roasts, combine the rinsed quinoa and water or vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
04 - In a small bowl, toss the chopped pecans with maple syrup, olive oil, sea salt, and cinnamon until evenly coated. Spread onto a separate parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 8–10 minutes, stirring once halfway, until fragrant and golden. Remove and let cool completely.
05 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified and smooth.
06 - Divide the fluffed quinoa among 4 bowls. Arrange the roasted squash and onions, fresh spinach or arugula, and maple pecan crunch over each portion. Drizzle generously with the prepared dressing. Finish with crumbled feta and chopped parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The maple pecan crunch alone is worth making this entire recipe, and you will find yourself sprinkling it on salads, oatmeal, and everything else for weeks afterward.
- Everything roasts and simmers simultaneously, so the whole bowl comes together in under an hour with very little hands on effort.
02 -
- Watch the pecans like a hawk during the last two minutes of baking because they go from perfectly toasted to burnt in what feels like seconds, and burnt pecans will bitterness the entire bowl.
- Taste your butternut squash before roasting, because occasionally you get one that is bland or watery, and a drizzle of extra maple syrup over the cubes before roasting can rescue it beautifully.
03 -
- Peel the butternut squash with a sturdy vegetable peeler rather than a knife, working slowly from top to bottom, because you lose less flesh and keep your fingers farther from the blade on those awkwardly shaped vegetables.
- Make a double batch of the maple pecan crunch and store the extra in a jar on your counter, because it turns plain yogurt, oatmeal, and even vanilla ice cream into something extraordinary with zero additional work.