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Lentil Quinoa Fall Salad with Maple Dressing

October 8, 2020 By Kaitlin McGinn Leave a Comment

Festive fall salad with lentils, quinoa, kale, butternut squash and a delicious rosemary-infused maple-balsamic dressing! Our favorite autumn salad – great for seasonal eating and holidays! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free)

Lentil Quinoa Fall Salad with butternut squash and kale in a bowl

I’ve been wrangling with several variations of this colorful fall salad over the past couple years, but am delighted to (finally!) post my favorite version. We absolutely love it, plus it’s also wonderfully festive for holidays or simply seasonal eating.

Ingredients in a bowl ready to be mixed for autumn salad

Ingredients for Fall Salad

And let me tell you, it’s overflowing with delicious autumn goodness. Roasted butternut squash, hearty kale, and a flavorful maple-balsamic dressing with fresh rosemary. Plus I love the walnut crunch and additional sweetness from the dried cranberries.

Vegan lentil quinoa autumn salad with butternut squash and kale in a bowl

The nutrient-packed lentil & quinoa combination is one that I also love in this Lentil Quinoa Salad. But feel free to give this a try with your own favorite whole grains (or use all quinoa if desired). Truly hope you also enjoy this one as much as we do – happy autumn!

Come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram and share a photo if you make this! (Also please leave a review & star rating below if you give it a try. Your feedback is greatly appreciated – thank you!)

Bowl of vegan fall salad with lentils, quinoa, butternut squash, and maple dressing
Lentil Quinoa Fall Salad with butternut squash and kale in a bowl
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5 from 1 vote

Lentil Quinoa Fall Salad with Maple Dressing

Festive fall salad with kale, butternut squash and a rosemary-infused maple-balsamic dressing. Our favorite autumn salad – great for seasonal eating and holidays!
Author: Kaitlin – The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:40 minutes
Total Time:55 minutes
Category: Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings:6 (1 cup servings)

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 4-5 cups butternut squash, cubed (about a 3 lb. squash)
  • 1/2 cup quinoa (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)
  • 15 oz. can lentils
  • 1/2 bunch kale
  • 3-4 green onions
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (I use raw, unsalted)
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries

For the maple-balsamic dressing:

  • 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped (more/less to taste)
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
  • Line a baking pan with parchment paper and arrange squash cubes in a single layer. (Salt/pepper if desired.) Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or to desired tenderness, stirring halfway through.
  • Meanwhile, cook the quinoa: place 1/2 cup quinoa (rinsed and drained) in a small saucepan with 3/4 cup water or vegetable broth. Bring to a light boil over med-high heat. Then reduce heat to med-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Make the dressing: in a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • Thinly chop kale, large stems removed. Place in a large mixing bowl and gently massage to tenderize.
  • Slice green onions and roughly chop walnuts. Add to bowl with kale.
  • Add lentils (rinsed and drained), cranberries, cooked quinoa, and roasted squash to bowl.
  • Pour dressing over top and gently toss to thoroughly combine. Add more cranberries or walnuts if desired.
  • Serve immediately or refrigerate for later. (Great served warm, room temperature, or chilled.)

Notes

Recipe yields about 6 cups salad. (Estimated nutritional content is for 1 cup of 6.)
You can also serve this as a small side dish for up to 8-10 people.
To cut down on prep time, I like to make the quinoa and cube the butternut squash ahead of time. (Or you can buy pre-cubed squash in the produce section.)

Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)

Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 758mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 10480IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @thegardengrazer on Instagram and hashtag it #thegardengrazer. I love seeing your recreations!
Lentil Quinoa Fall Salad photo collage

If you’re enjoying this lentil quinoa fall salad, also feel free to check out this Marinated Kale Salad or 5-Minute Lentil Tomato Salad!

Filed Under: Gluten-Free, Main Dish, Recipe, Salad, Sides, Vegan, WFPBNO Tagged With: autumn, balsamic, butternut squash, holiday, kale, lentils, maple syrup, quinoa, thanksgiving, walnut, winter

Previous Post: « Portobello Mushroom & Potato Stew with Lentils
Next Post: Fire-Roasted Tomato & White Bean Soup with Kale »

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Hi, I'm Kaitlin! I share easy vegan recipes that are mostly whole food, plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free. Learn More About Me →

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