Warm winter salad with roasted pumpkin, beetroot, quinoa, and goat cheese - photo 1
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Warm winter salad with roasted pumpkin, beetroot, quinoa, and goat cheese

Salads Vegetarian Dishes 75 min Medium 15 wyświetleń ~44.58 PLN - (0)
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Description

A warm winter salad combining caramelized roasted butternut squash and sweet earthy roasted beets with fluffy quinoa, crunchy walnuts, and creamy goat cheese. It's comfort food — a hearty, aromatic dish perfect for cold winter days when you need something warming yet fresh. The salad features contrasting textures: soft squash, firm quinoa grains, crunchy nuts, and possibly shiny pomegranate seeds. The honey-mustard dressing with a hint of orange and apple cider vinegar adds a pleasant sweet-tart balance. Serve it as a standalone warm dish for lunch or as an impressive appetizer during a family dinner; it pairs wonderfully with dark, crusty bread or a serving of roasted potatoes.

Ingredients (16)

Servings:
4
  • Butternut squash 800 g
  • Raw red beets 400 g
  • Red onion 150 g
  • Kale 200 g
  • Dry quinoa 160 g
  • Goat cheese (soft) 120 g
  • Walnuts (shelled) 80 g
  • Extra virgin olive oil 0.3 łyżek
  • Apple cider vinegar 30 ml
  • Dijon mustard 20 g
  • Honey 30 ml
  • Freshly squeezed orange juice 80 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.2 szczypt
  • Ground black pepper 2 szczypty
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Pestki granatu 80 g
  • Roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) 40 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~44.58 PLN (11.15 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparing the vegetables

1

Preheat the oven to 200°C (top-bottom) with the convection function if available. Prepare a large baking tray lined with parchment paper. Wash the pumpkin, peel it with a vegetable peeler (the pumpkin skin can be tough — be careful with your fingers). Cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds with a spoon, and then cut the flesh into even cubes about 2-3 cm on each side. Place the cubes on the tray.

Ingredients: Butternut squash
Use a sharp peeler and a stable cutting board. If the pumpkin is large and difficult to cut, you can first cut it into smaller pieces and hold it with an oven mitt. A baking sheet with edges is best to prevent the oil from leaking.
2

Peel the beets: rinse, trim the leaves (you can save them for another use), and scrub lightly. If the beets are medium-sized, you can roast them whole wrapped in aluminum foil (each root or a few together). Place the beets on a separate baking sheet or in a baking dish and put them in the oven along with the pumpkin. Roast the beets for 45-60 minutes (depending on size) — check with a fork: they should be soft all the way through.

Ingredients: Raw red beets
If you want to shorten the baking time for beets, cut them into quarters and bake for 35-40 minutes. Note: beets can stain your hands — use gloves or wash your hands immediately.
3

On the baking sheet with pumpkin, drizzle 30 g of oil (2 tablespoons), sprinkle with 3 g of salt and 1 g of pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and freshly ground pepper). Mix thoroughly with your hands or a large spoon to ensure all the cubes are coated in oil. Spread the cubes in a single layer for even browning. Place in the oven. Bake the pumpkin for about 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through — the cubes should be golden at the edges and soft when pierced with a fork.

Ingredients: Butternut squash, Extra virgin olive oil, Salt, Ground black pepper
Use an oven mitt to take out the tray. If the cubes are too tightly packed, they will steam instead of bake — give them some space.

Preparing the onion

4

Peel the onion and slice it into thin half-rings. Heat a large skillet 10-12 cm from the edge of the burner over medium heat, add 15 g of oil (1 tablespoon) or 15 g of butter if you prefer a richer flavor. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes, until it becomes soft, golden, and sweet. If the onion browns too quickly, reduce the heat. You can add 5 g of honey (1/3 tablespoon) at the end of cooking to enhance the caramelization (optional).

Ingredients: Red onion, Extra virgin olive oil, Honey
Use a wide skillet — the onion needs space. Don't increase the heat too much, as it will burn on the outside and remain hard on the inside.

Preparation of quinoa

5

Rinse the quinoa under cold water in a fine sieve for 30-60 seconds, shaking vigorously to remove the natural bitter coating. In a 1-1.5 l pot, add 160 g of quinoa, then add 320 ml of cold water (ratio 1:2). Add a pinch of salt (about 1 g). Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low heat, cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes until the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent with visible "tails" (germ). After cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Ingredients: Dry quinoa, Salt
Use a pot with a tight-fitting lid. If the quinoa still has water after some time, cook for another 1-2 minutes, but be careful not to burn it.

Roasting nuts and seeds

6

In a dry small skillet, toast 80 g of walnuts for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, shaking the skillet every few seconds, until they become fragrant and lightly browned. If you are using pumpkin seeds (optional), toast them separately for 2-3 minutes. After toasting, transfer the nuts to a plate to stop the cooking process.

Ingredients: Walnuts (shelled), Roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Be careful, roasting goes quickly — it's easy to burn the nuts. Use a wide pan to ensure they brown evenly.

Removing and preparing the roasted vegetables

7

Remove the baking sheets with pumpkin and beets from the oven. The pumpkin should be soft and slightly browned (25-30 min). Check the beets with a fork: if they are soft, remove the foil and carefully wait 5 minutes until they cool enough to be peeled by hand or with a knife. Peel the roasted beets (use gloves or a paper towel), and cut them into quarters or slices about 1-1.5 cm thick. If the beets were roasted whole and are larger, cut them into smaller pieces.

Ingredients: Butternut squash, Raw red beets
Beets stain — use protective gloves or a plastic bag for peeling. Do not try to peel hot beets with bare hands.

Preparing the dressing

8

In a small bowl, combine 30 g of oil (2 tablespoons), 30 g of honey (2 tablespoons), 30 g of apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons), 80 ml of fresh orange juice, 20 g of Dijon mustard, 2 g of pepper, and 2 g of salt. Whisk vigorously with a fork or a small whisk for about 30-45 seconds, until the dressing thickens and forms a uniform emulsion. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or honey if needed.

Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil, Honey, Apple cider vinegar, Freshly squeezed orange juice, Dijon mustard, Salt, Ground black pepper
Use a small bowl or a jar with a lid (then you can shake the jar vigorously). The dressing should be slightly thick — if it is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water or orange juice.

Assembling the salad

9

In a large bowl, combine the cooked, still slightly warm quinoa with the warm pumpkin and pieces of roasted beets. Add the caramelized onion and 200 g of torn kale (remove the thick stems and tear the leaves into pieces with your hands). Drizzle half of the prepared dressing over the mixture and gently stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, so that the hot ingredients slightly soften the kale and distribute the dressing well. Taste and season with salt/pepper to your liking.

Ingredients: Dry quinoa, Butternut squash, Raw red beets, Red onion, Kale, Apple cider vinegar, Extra virgin olive oil, Honey, Dijon mustard, Freshly squeezed orange juice
Gently mix to avoid mashing the pumpkin and beets — the heat should slightly soften the kale, giving it tenderness.

Finishing and serving

10

Transfer the salad to a large platter or divide it onto plates. Crumble 120 g of goat cheese evenly on top. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts. If using, scatter pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds for color and texture. Drizzle with the remaining dressing just before serving.

Ingredients: Goat cheese (soft), Walnuts (shelled), Pestki granatu, Roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Add the goat cheese at the end so it doesn't melt completely — it should remain a creamy contrast. Additionally, you can add pomegranate seeds for a sweet and sour touch.

Final tips

11

Serve the salad immediately while it is still slightly warm — this brings out the flavors and makes the kale more tender. If you are preparing it in advance, keep the dressing separate and add it just before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; before serving, gently reheat in the oven or on the stovetop to restore the temperature.

If you want to prepare part of it in advance, roast the pumpkin and beets the day before, but do not mix them with the dressing and cheese before serving.

Fun Fact

💡

Quinoa has been cultivated in the Andes for thousands of years and was called by the Incas 'the mother of all grains' — combined with pumpkin and beet, it creates a hearty, protein-rich dish perfect for winter.

Best for

zimowy obiad rodzinne spotkanie comfort food wieczór

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the salad slightly warm on a large platter to beautifully showcase the colors. Dark, crusty bread and a glass of light red wine or citrus tea pair well with the salad. For a heartier version, add a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt on the side as a cooling contrast.

🥡 Storage

Store baked vegetables and dressing separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Combine the ingredients just before serving. To reheat, use an oven preheated to 160°C for 8-10 minutes to avoid overly softening the ingredients.

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