I’m someone who eats salads for lunch almost every single day and don’t get tired of it. I may mix up the toppings or the dressing, but I love having a veggie-packed meal. I don’t have many nutrition goals, but one of them is to eat vegetables with every meal, including breakfast. As the weather cools down though, I sometimes want a warmer meal for lunch that’s still veggie-packed. This recipe for roasted butternut squash and brussels sprouts with quinoa is all tossed with an amazing maple-Dijon vinaigrette and topped with feta cheese for a delicious vegetarian meal. If you leave the cheese off the dish, it’s completely vegan!
This easy vegetarian recipe has a few components, but you can make the vinaigrette while the butternut squash and brussels sprouts are roasting and the quinoa is cooking. You can also use pre-cooked quinoa to make it even easier! Don’t be mistaken, this meatless dish is still hearty and filling thanks to protein and nutrient-rich quinoa. Quinoa is one of my favorite staple grains because it cooks so quickly and can be added to just about anything!
I know I say this a lot, but this is also a good opportunity to use up some extra random vegetables. Sweet potato, carrots, and mushrooms would all be excellent additions here. Especially Portobello mushrooms with their meaty texture! Let the dressing soak into everything, top with cheese and maybe a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper, and you’ve got yourself an easy vegetarian main dish or a perfect holiday side dish as well.
- ½ a large butternut squash, peeled and cubed, or about 3 cups of cubed butternut squash
- 1 lb. brussels sprouts, ends removed, halved
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ sp. ground dried thyme
- 1½ cups cooked quinoa
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
- ½ tsp. salt
- 3 tbsp. minced shallot
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread with the butternut squash and brussels sprouts, then drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and thyme and use your hands to toss to combine. Roast for 25-35 minutes until tender and golden brown.
- Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, pepper, salt, and shallot.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large bowl and add quinoa. Stir to combine, then drizzle with vinaigrette and toss again.
- Serve topped with feta cheese and additional pepper, if desired.
- Enjoy!
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