Just because it’s not summer anymore, doesn’t mean I stop rollin’ with my refrigerator salads! This Chipotle Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad is a little smoky, uses hearty autumn vegetables, and can be served either cold or warm, making it perfect for this cooler autumn weather. And like all my refrigerator salads, this salad holds up well in the refrigerator and can be eaten alone or as the base for several different meals. Read on to find out more!
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How Long Does This Salad Last?
Store this salad in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and you’ll get about four days out of it, give or take some depending on the freshness of your ingredients and the conditions in your refrigerator. Remember to give the salad a stir just before serving to remix any dressing that may have settled.
How to Serve Chipotle Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad
You can serve this salad either warm or cold. It’s great both ways! The salad has quite a bit of protein on its own, but if you want to “beef” it up a bit more, you can add some grilled chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, sautéed shrimp, a soft boiled egg, tofu, or tempeh.
Is This Salad Spicy?
Yes. The dressing contains a good amount of chipotle powder, which has a smoky-spicy flavor. If you want to make this salad NOT spicy, simply substitute smoked paprika for the chipotle powder.
What Can I Substitute for Butternut Squash?
This salad can very easily be made with sweet potato instead of butternut squash. Just peel, dice, and sauté the sweet potato in the same manner as the butternut squash. Use about 1.5 to 2 pounds of sweet potato.
What if I Hate Cilantro??
Don’t worry, you have options. To make this Chipotle Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad without cilantro, simply substitute sliced green onion in its place. In fact, green onion can be added to this salad even if you are using cilantro as well. It might be a great way to use up those leftovers!
Chipotle Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad
Servings 4 1.25 cups eachIngredients
- 1 cup quinoa ($1.20)
- 2 lbs. butternut squash (about 4 cups diced) ($1.45)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08)
- 1 pinch salt ($0.02)
- 1 cup frozen corn ($0.20)
- 1 15oz. can black beans ($0.49)
Dressing
- 1 cup chopped parsley ($0.35)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro ($0.19)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced ($0.24)
- 1/4 cup olive oil ($0.42)
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar ($0.20)
- 1 tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin ($0.05)
- 1 tsp chipotle powder* ($0.10)
- 3/4 tsp salt ($0.05)
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa well with cool water in a fine wire mesh sieve. Add the quinoa and 1.75 cups water to a sauce pot. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and allow it to come to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low, and let the quinoa continue to simmer for 15 minutes (lid on).
- After 15 minutes of simmering, turn the heat off, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes.
- While the quinoa is simmering, prepare the butternut squash. Cut the ends off the squash to provide a flat sturdy surface. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the squash. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds. Finally, dice the remaining squash.
- When the quinoa is finished cooking, add it to a large bowl along with the frozen corn. Stir to combine, allowing the hot quinoa to thaw the corn. Set the bowl aside.
- Next cook the butternut squash. Add the cooking oil to a large skillet and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced squash and a pinch of salt. Sauté the squash until it is tender and slightly browned (about 15 minutes). If the squash begins to stick, add a tablespoon or two of water and allow the steam to loosen the squash.
- While the squash is cooking, rinse and drain the black beans, and prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh cilantro, three cloves of minced garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp chipotle powder, and 1 tsp salt. Stir to combine.
- When the butternut squash is finished cooking, add it to the bowl with the corn and quinoa. Also add the rinsed and drained black beans, and the prepared dressing. Stir to combine, then season with salt to taste, if needed. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Mesh Sieve
- Chef’s Knife
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Chipotle Butternut Squash Salad – Step by Step Photos
Begin with the quinoa. Rinse 1 cup quinoa with cool water in a fine wire mesh sieve. Add the rinsed quinoa to a sauce pot with 1.75 cups water. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat on to high, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer (with lid) for 15 minutes. After simmering for 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 minutes.
When the quinoa is finished cooking, add it to a large bowl with 1 cup frozen corn and stir to combine. The heat from the quinoa will thaw the corn. Set the bowl aside.
While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the butternut squash. Cut the ends off the squash to give yourself a stable base to work on. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the squash.
Slice the squash in half lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds.
Then dice the rest of the squash into 1/4-1/2 inch cubes. To dice the squash, first cut it into slices, then cut across the slices into cubes. Make sure the cubes are not too large, or they’ll take forever to cook.
Add 2 Tbsp cooking oil to a large skillet and place the skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the cubed butternut squash and a pinch of salt. Sauté the squash until it is tender and a little browned (this can take 10-15 minutes). If the squash begins to stick, add a tablespoon or two of water to the skillet and the steam will loosen the squash.
While the squash is cooking, rinse and drain one 15 oz. can black beans and prepare the dressing. Chop 1 cup parsley and 1/2 cup cilantro. Mince three cloves of garlic. Combine the parsley, cilantro, and garlic with 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp chipotle powder, and 3/4 tsp salt. Stir to combine.
Once the butternut squash has cooked, add it to the bowl with the corn and quinoa. Also add the rinsed black beans and the prepared dressing.
Stir the ingredients to combine, give it a taste, and adjust the salt to your liking if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat!
I used this as a taco filling and it worked great! Don’t ask me why but everything tastes better as tacos 😆
I added jalapeno as others suggested and roasted the squash instead of sauteing so it was more hands-off.
Thus salad is a staple meal for us.
i made this over the summer with fresh squash, and then again just now with frozen. both times i roasted the squash rather than sauteeing and had the quinoa going while that happened. i prefer the fresh squash because i dice mine larger than the frozen precut stuff and like the extra texture that gives. the frozen squash i used was diced so small it almost turned into mush! still delicious though.
i’d planned to use some pureed chipotle chili in adobo from ages ago, but couldn’t get the jar open (…so probably time to pitch that) and was also out of chipotle powder! a tragedy! i used smoked paprika and then added some regular chili powder and cayenne, but miss the chipotle. ): i bulk it out further with grilled chik’n strips, and add an avocado in the morning before i pack the day’s portion up for work. (;
love this one!!
Delicious recipe! Made a batch to have for lunches this week. I roasted my squash and the corn and also added roasted jalapeños for an extra kick. The dressing is massively addictive too!
I’ve made this twice, it’s delicious, easy, and comes together pretty quickly.
Why is this so good? I didn’t have the herbs, and we still loved it. A healthy, simple weekday lunch.
This was pretty good after a few modifications… first I roasted the butternut in the oven with lots of seasonings … then I added scallions, a jalapeño and squeezed in some lime juice… yum yum
Butternut isn’t my favorite normally but this was great. I used 2 lb squash. It didn’t turn out spicy at all, maybe just the variety of my chipotle powder (McCormick)… I will up the chipotle next time.
For me was a tad plain so I added a tbsp chipotle powder and even topped some with siracha. I liked it a lot after the mods but you may like it as is. I suggest following the recipe and adjust to taste.
I admit I was a little skeptical going in – I’m not the biggest fan of cooked butternut squash, either flavor- or texture-wise. But I had a big ol’ squash that needed using up, and boy am I glad I did! Complimented by the fresh herbs, sturdy beans, and the toothsomeness of the quinoa and corn, it made for one awesome dinner, full of bright flavors. And WOW, that dressing packs a punch! Red wine vinegar is the perfect bright, sharp compliment to the mellow flavors of butternut squash, and the chipotle is subtle but pervasive.
This definitely does make more than 4 1.25 cup servings, though – I would guess around 5 or 6? Definitely enough for a few days’ dinners, with plenty left over for lunch prep. Which I ain’t mad about. ;)
Hey Budget Bytes crew! I’m looking for an option for stuffed acorn squash and this recipe sounds interesting. Have you ever done a savory, stuffed acorn squash recipe?
I don’t have a stuffed acorn squash recipe, unfortunately! But now I want to make one. :) Thanks for the suggestion!
Love this recipe, and made for a great meal prep lunch. I may add some steamed kale in future bowls, just to add some texture between the squash and quinoa, but the flavor is perfect and is so healthy and filling!
The raw garlic in the dressing was really upsetting to the stomach.
I would likely double the amount of dressing but instead i just added chipotle bitchin sauce from Costco!
Very good and hearty, but I ended up with almost double the amount of servings.
This was great! Made it with your Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken and it was the perfect combo.
I made this a few days ago and it was amazing! My butternut squash was 2.5 lbs but still worked perfectly. It really does hold up in the fridge well and the flavors are still fresh!
Absolutely delicious! Subbed green onion for cilantro, sweet potato for squash, and smoked paprika for chipotle (Beth you read my mind with these suggestions!). The dressing makes this salad sharp, fresh and smoky all at the same time. It’s a colourful and scrumptious contribution to any meal or potluck table.
I think the number of servings in the recipe is really off.. Says serves four at 1.25 cups per serve, so 5 cups total. But there is 1 cup quinoa, 4 cups butternut squash, 1 cup frozen corn, about 1.5 cups black beans, 1 cup parsley, 1/2 cup cilantro, so about 9 cups.. Maybe there’s a typo and its supposed to be serves four at 2.25 cups per serve? Recipe is delish and easy, just servings advice is not right..
Fantastic! Made this with pre-chopped butternut squash and 1 finely minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce, and it was really, really delicious. Will be a regular recipe in our house
Thanks Rachel!
I’ve made this several times already- it’s so good. I had to cut down on the garlic though. I think I may try roasted garlic next time.
Oh roasted garlic would be really good!
Great dish! I used the Kirkland steamed butternut squash and added more chipotle for spice and chopped up some kale. Thank you for the recipe, it was a hit even with the teenagers!
Yes I love that Kirkland squash! It’s a go to for me this season.
This salad is pure perfection 😍 I added some raw pumpkin seeds for extra crunch and I’m basically licking the bowl right now
Thanks Victoria!
My spouse cant do black beans and I normally sub pinto but Im not sure the flavor combo would be good here…anyone have thoughts on a good canned bean sub here?
I think you could swap pinto here without hurting the flavor. It will be less pretty, but will still taste good. :)
There is no world in which this is only 10 minutes of prep for a novice or average chef unless you buy everything pre-chopped.
That’s ten minutes of prep before the cooking begins. There is more prep while cooking is happening, but that time is counted as cook time.
This was incredible! The whole family devoured it, including our 23 month old!
Happy to hear it Cass!
Any thoughts around roasting the squash instead of sautéing?
I think that would be delicious as well!
I made this last night for lunches this week. I swapped out the corn for a red bell pepper which was great. I’m not a big corn eater. I feel like what was labeled as chipotle powder in my spice cabinet may not have been that. Or at least it was not very spicy. I’ll have to fix that next time. Otherwise this was great and am looking forward to making it for a long flight I have coming up in January in which I do not want to purchase airplane food for lunch. Thank you always for the great recipes Beth!
I should also note that for me, this was VERY budget friendly as the quinoa I used was a tri color I got on close out clearance, herbs were 49 cents, squash was running for 39 cents per pound. I also make my black beans in the crock pot (Kick the Can recipe on here) and defrosted them from the freezer. All around budget WIN!
Great work Kim!!
Oh no! Happy to hear you still liked it. Thanks for sharing Kim!
This is so gooood!!! And sooo easy! My husband is out of town so I made this hoping to stretch it a few days. Totally possible if I could keep my paws out of it. I suck at being prepared for lunch. It’s my Achilles heel, really. So this is going into regular rotation for sure!
QUESTION: I’m taking a batch to a friend whose parents live with her and can’t do spicy. Could I use straight up chili powder instead of the chipotle powder, or should I just omit it and call it a day?
Thanks again for a fantastic, healthful option!
Chipotle is the spicy ingredient here, so you can leave that out. I would swap smoked paprika in its place. :)
can i use frozen diced butternut squash?
Yes you can!
This looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it!
I checked this site for butternut squash recipes a week ago and was disappointed to just see one, so this is definitely welcome! I don’t have a huge tolerance for spicy things so I’ll try this with smoked paprika and a pinch of chipotle.
We’ll work on adding more :) Thanks for finding us!
I made this for dinner tonight, and added a bit of feta as a garnish. It was delicious, easy, and satisfying. This praise comes from a pregnant lady who doesn’t have a ton of energy to make lots of meals from scratch right now. Thank you for sharing such tasty, accessible recipes.
Congrats to you! Helpful when it’s an easy win for all!
Re: the chipotle, I got a great tip from another food blog a long time ago. Get one of those small cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and puree it in a mini food processor (my immersion blender came with a little jar attachment that will do this), then keep the puree in a jar in the fridge (I use an old mustard jar). Will keep for a LONG time, and you can stir a spoonful into SO MANY THINGS – salad dressings just like this, soups, chilis, mayonnaise for sandwiches (like a turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving??), etc etc etc.
This salad looks amazing, and I’m looking forward to meal prepping it this weekend for next week’s office lunches!!
This is brilliant. I hate opening a can for a recipe, using two peppers ad then… having no idea what to do with the rest. I am totally doing this next time.
Hi can you advise why the sodium is so high for one serving? 1100 mg? What kind of salt are you using in the recipe, regular table salt, sea salt, pink salt? I ask cus salt being this high doesn’t make it a healthy dish for me. I know I can adjust the salt when making but just curious why it seems high here when you are essentially using about a tsp of salt.
Unfortunately calculated nutritional data like this can be very inaccurate. In this case, the recipe includes canned beans and the database that we use likely includes all the salt in the can, including the liquid that is poured off and not consumed. I caution everyone to take nutrition data online with a large grain of salt (no pun intended) and not as fact. :) Read our nutrition disclaimer for more info.
That’s a great tip! Thank you for sharing with us!
Thanks for the suggestion! I did this when I made this recipe last night. I also sauteed three chicken thighs cut into chunks in a couple of tablespoons of the pureed peppers to add into the salad.