Quinoa and Lentil Salad with Butternut Squash
A hearty and nourishing high protein vegan salad of lentils, quinoa, butternut squash, and pomegranate.
One of my favorite lunches these days is a sweet and savory salad of quinoa, roasted butternut squash, and arugula. It sounds labor intensive, but it really takes about 2 minutes to throw together because I keep everything prepped in the fridge. I make a batch of quinoa and lentils on the weekend to easily add complete protein to my daily diet. Lentils and quinoa are a couple of my favorite vegan protein sources. I made this particular salad at the last minute to bring to my mom’s house on Thanksgiving. Pomegranate seeds added a refreshing juicy sweetness to this hearty salad.
You can learn all about cooking with plant based legumes and seeds in my posts How to Cook Lentils, and How to Cook Quinoa. Update: I’ve just revisited this post and noticed the lentil typo in the first image – oops!
Try this superfood salad this fall-winter to stay healthy and strong, or serve it for a beautiful holiday party salad. It’s tasty, filling, healthy, and gorgeous – the perfect salad if you ask me.
Yield: Serves 6
Quinoa and Lentil Salad with Butternut Squash
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Total Time
50 minutes
This high protein vegan salad makes an excellent lunch or dinner. It's made with arugula, lentils, quinoa, and roasted butternut squash.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup French lentils, rinsed
- 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 5 ounces arugula leaves
- 1/2 pomegranate seeded
- 1/3 cup favorite dressing (I recommend this Maple Vinaigrette)
Instructions
- Cook lentils and quinoa according to package directions. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, roast the butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a roasting pan and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast 25-30 minutes until tender.
- Place arugula in a large salad bowl. Spoon cooked quinoa, lentils, and squash over the top. Add the seeds from 1/2 pomegranate. Serve with dressing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 147Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 130mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your favorite calculator.