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!
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
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!
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..