This Pumpkin Quinoa Salad is full of flavour: the nutty quinoa pairs beautifully with the sweet, tender pumpkin, caramelised red onion, tart, juicy cranberries and crunchy pumpkin seeds. The tangy, sweet and salty dressing is super easy to make too! It makes a great make-ahead side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but is also great for meal prep or packed lunches.
This Pumpkin Cranberry Quinoa Salad is basically an autumnal twist on my summery Nectarine Tabbouleh - it still boasts a kaleidoscopic array of colours, but instead of bright yellows and vivid greens, we have vibrant reds, burnished oranges, deep purples and khaki greens.
It's healthy and nutritious but also filling and satisfying, high in protein and fibre, and naturally vegan and gluten-free.
How to make this recipe
Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Place the pumpkin cubes on a rectangular baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt + pepper.
- Roast in the oven for around 30 minutes.
- Cook the quinoa according to instructions on packet.
Tip: Add the dried cranberries to the quinoa before cooking as they become softer and juicier when cooked.
- Fry the red onion for 10 minutes.
- Place the cooked quinoa and cranberries in a glass mixing bowl with the roasted pumpkin and red onion.
- Mix together the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
- Serve onto plates and sprinkle over the pumpkin seeds, if desired.
How long does this keep for?
This Pumpkin Quinoa Salad can be eaten warm or cold and keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Substitutions you can make
- The pumpkin can be replaced with butternut squash or sweet potato.
- You can use pre-cooked quinoa to make it easier.
- You can replace the dried cranberries with dried sour cherries.
- You can replace the quinoa with brown rice, wild rice or buckwheat, or another grain such as couscous or barley if you don't need it to be gluten-free.
- You can replace the pomegranate molasses with any other sweetener.
- You can replace the balsamic vinegar with apple cider vinegar.
- You can add any vegetables you like: sliced red pepper, grated carrot, chopped cucumber etc.
- You can replace the pumpkin seeds with pine nuts.
More festive side dishes
- Scalloped Sweet Potato Gratin
- Cauliflower Cheese Gratin
- Green Bean Casserole
- Stuffing
- Potato Dauphinoise Gratin
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Watch how to make it
Pumpkin Quinoa Salad (Vegan + GF)
Ingredients
- 800 g (28 oz) pumpkin , deseeded and cut into cubes *
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided (or sub coconut, rapeseed or vegetable oil)
- Salt + pepper to taste
- 255 g (1 ½ cup) uncooked quinoa
- 40 g (â…“ cup) dried cranberries (or sub dried sour cherries)
- 1 red onion , finely sliced
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or sub apple cider vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses (or sub any other sweetener)
- Salt + pepper to taste
To serve (optional):
- Pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Place the pumpkin cubes on a baking tray (lined with baking paper), drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with salt + pepper.
- Roast in oven for around 30 minutes, until soft and slightly browned.
- Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to instructions on packet (add the dried cranberries to the quinoa before cooking as they become softer and juicier when boiled).
- Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and add the red onion once hot.
- Fry for around 10 minutes until softened and slightly caramelised.
- Place the cooked quinoa and cranberries in a large bowl with the roasted pumpkin and red onion.
- Mix together the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
- Serve onto plates and sprinkle over the pumpkin seeds, if desired.
- Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Video
Notes
Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.
Sally
Made this the other day and it was simple and delicious! The cranberries are a great idea
Rhian Williams
Thank you!
Alice Taylor
Delish thanks!
Rhian Williams
Thank you!