Healthy Quinoa Cranberry Salad: The Perfect Holiday Side Dish

Healthy, flavorful, Quinoa Cranberry Salad. The perfect sweet and savory combination, and a gorgeous addition to your holiday table this season.

NOTE: This post has been updated since it was originally published on November 10, 2022.

This gorgeous Quinoa Cranberry Salad is made with healthy and nutritious ingredients and is quite simple to prepare.

Not only does it taste delicious but this colorful salad will look amazing on your dinner table this holiday season.

I love this healthy salad because it contains a nice balance of nutrients – protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber. I say it’s a side dish but you can make this Quinoa Cranberry Salad for a light evening meal too if you wish.

As a plant-based eater, much of my diet consists of healthy, unprocessed carbohydrates such as whole grains, beans, and legumes, along with a variety of fruits and vegetables.

This salad incorporates all of these elements beautifully and in fact, I enjoy this quinoa salad with cranberries all year round, not just during the holiday season.

Making this Quinoa Cranberry Salad recipe and serving it to your friends and family over the holidays will definitely be a hit. Plus, it is the perfect leftover, great for a quick meal in the days following your celebration.

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Kitchen Tools Used For This Recipe

•  baking sheet or pan
•  silicone baking sheet – or you can use unbleached parchment paper
•  medium pot
•  large glass mixing bowl
•  medium glass mixing bowl
•  measuring cups
•  measuring spoons
•  wooden serving bowl
•  wooden serving utensils

Ingredients To Make Quinoa Cranberry Salad

Butternut squash. You can use another type of squash, such as acorn, however, I find the smooth flavor of butternut squash works well in this recipe.

Yellow onion. The base of any good recipe. If you don’t have a yellow onion, you can use white.

Cranberries. For this recipe, I recommend fresh cranberries. You can find them either in the produce aisle or the freezer section in bags.

Quinoa. Feel free to use any variety – black, red, mixed, etc.

Olive oil. Best if it is extra virgin, and just a touch will do.

Maple syrup. Make sure to use pure maple syrup and not the kind filled with unhealthy ingredients like corn syrup.

Herbs. Dried oregano, thyme, and sage.

Dijon mustard. If you are spice adverse, you can use plain yellow mustard instead.

Apple Cider Vinegar. You can use lemon juice if you prefer.

Kosher salt and Pepper. Just a pinch, as desired.

optional ingredients you may want to consider

Here are some optional ingredients you can add to your salad if you wish.

• Nuts. Chopped pecans or walnuts work beautifully and add a delicious crunch.
• Cheese. I use 100% plant-based cheeses like crumbled feta or goat cheese, however, if you are not vegan, feel free to add a tablespoon or two of regular cheese to your liking.

How To Make Quinoa Cranberry Salad: Step-By-Step Guide

Here I give you general instructions on how to make Quinoa Cranberry Salad. For specific measurements and more details, see the recipe card provided below.

STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit and line a baking pan with a silicone baking sheet or unbleached parchment paper.

STEP 2. Dressing
Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

STEP 3. Roast squash
Wash, peel, and dice the butternut squash into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.

Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to squash, and gently toss to coat evenly.

Place the squash onto the baking pan, and place into the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is tender and a roasted golden brown on the outside.

STEP 4. Cook quinoa
While the squash is in the oven, prepare the quinoa. Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Cover and let quinoa simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed.

STEP 5. Roast cranberries
While squash is cooking and quinoa is simmering, in a medium mixing bowl, add the onions, cranberries, and maple syrup. Gently stir until well combined.

Place the cranberry mixture onto the baking pan and place in the oven, alongside the squash, for approximately 10-15 minutes or until the onions are browning and the cranberries are soft and bursting.

STEP 6. Put the salad together
Once the quinoa is cooked, transfer to the large wooden serving bowl.

Once the squash, cranberries, and onions have cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Add the dried sage and half of the salad dressing to the quinoa. Gently toss to combine.

Add the roasted squash, cranberries, and onions, along with the remainder of the dressing. Gently combine all of the ingredients.

Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Optional: Top the quinoa cranberry salad with a handful of crushed pecans or walnuts and vegan cheese if desired.

How To Store

This quinoa salad with cranberries is best stored in a tightly sealed, airtight container, in the fridge.

If properly stored, it will stay fresh in the fridge for approximately 3-4 days.

Recipe Tips and Suggestions

This Quinoa Cranberry Salad can be made as a salad that includes a delicious fresh bed of leafy greens, or it can be made as a side dish to accompany any kind of main protein dish.

This salad would be a wonderful side dish for your holiday Thanksgiving dinner. You can use it as a replacement for stuffing, or include both, this quinoa salad and stuffing, you decide!

The seasoning for the dressing can be any dried herbs you desire. I use oregano and thyme but you can also use parsley, dill, Italian seasoning, and more.

The quinoa in this recipe can be white, red, black, or mixed, whichever you prefer. I often use a blend of quinoa to get the most nutrients.

When you are roasting the butternut squash and cranberry onion mixture, place the squash on the lower rack of the oven, and the cranberries on the upper. Watch closely to prevent burning. You may want to switch these around for several minutes as well.

The cranberry onion mixture will roast quicker than the squash, so prepare the squash and place it in the oven. Next, prepare the quinoa on the stove. While the quinoa is heating up you can work on the cranberry mixture and then place that in the oven as well. I have found this is the best way for all ingredients to cook and be ready at about the same time.

Adding the pecans, or walnuts, and the cheese is a lovely addition but not absolutely necessary. That said, it might be a nice small decadent touch to add to this recipe for the holidays.

5 Ingredients That Make This A Powerhouse Salad

Based on the book 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life, by David Grotto, RD, LDN, here are some of my favorite reasons to eat this beautiful quinoa salad with cranberries.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a complete protein because it contains all of the essential amino acids, and it has the highest amount of protein than any other grain.

This whole grain is rich in many vitamins and minerals such as iron, potassium, riboflavin, B6, niacin, thiamine, magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese.

ProTip. Quinoa contains triterpene saponins which can inhibit cholesterol absorption and provide an anticancer, anti-inflammatory effect.

Rinse quinoa before using it to get rid of the powdery residue on the quinoa called saponin. In South America saponin is used as a detergent to wash clothes, and it is also used as an antiseptic for skin injuries.

Butternut Squash

Squash is high in antioxidants, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and polyphenols. Helping to fight cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.

There are over 100 varieties of squash, and the word squash comes from a Narragansett Native American word “askutasquash”, which means “eaten raw or uncooked.” There are types of squash, like zucchini, that can most definitely be eaten raw.

Fun Fact. Squash is considered one of the oldest domesticated crops, with the first wild squash appearing in Mexico about 100,000 years ago.

Cranberries

Cranberries are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C. They are loaded with phytonutrients and antioxidants as well

Cranberries help prevent urinary tract infections by preventing harmful bacteria from sticking to cells in our body, more specifically the bladder and urinary tract.

Cranberries may help to prevent cancer due to their flavonoid compounds. Cancers, such as leukemia, breast, lung, colon, and perhaps other types of cancer.

The flavonoids found in cranberries may also reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, reducing LDL cholesterol, and raising HDL cholesterol.

A component in cranberries may help to prevent periodontal disease by stopping bacteria from adhering to teeth and gums.

Fun Fact. The first cranberry beds grown for commercial use, way back in the 1800s, were started by a man named Henry Hall right here in Dennis, Massachusetts on Cape Cod!

Onions

Onions are a good source of fiber and vitamin C, and they contain quercetin which is a powerful antioxidant.

Some research suggests onions have a modest level of cancer-protective activity. Specifically lung, liver, colon, and prostate cancer.

Onions are considered to be heart-healthy because they help to lower LDL cholesterol. They also contain allyl sulfides which may help to reduce blood clots and make platelets less sticky, which thus may help reduce cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and stroke.

Fun Fact. It is believed onions originated in Asia where onion garden beds have been excavated dating back as far as 5000 years ago!

Greens

Greens are considered one of the healthiest vegetables. Rich in calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and antioxidants.

Lutein and zeaxanthin, found in greens look to help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration.

Leafy greens may help to reduce the risk of cancer including breast, kidney, and lymphoma.

ProTip. A lot of nutrients that are found in leafy greens are fat soluble, so including a healthy fat in your meal with greens will help you better absorb the phytonutrients.

Additional Delicious Recipes For The Holiday

• Healthy Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce with Raspberries
• Easy Breakfast Bread Recipe – Pumpkin Bread (vegan, gluten free)
• How to Dry Cranberries: Sugar and Oil-Free Recipe
• Dairy Free Hot Chocolate Drink Recipe: Easy & Healthy
• The Perfect Sparkling Ginger Cranberry Mocktail

VIDEO: How To Make Quinoa Cranberry Salad

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Let’s Connect

I hope you enjoyed this article on how to make Quinoa Cranberry Salad. If you do make this recipe, let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear from you. Oh, and a 5-star recipe rating is always helpful.

QUESTION. What are some other ways you use cranberries during the holiday season? I can think of so many…ha. Let me know below and let’s keep in touch.

Please consider sharing this recipe with family and friends if you think they would enjoy it too.

Printable Recipe Card