Apple Quinoa Lentil Salad
Apple Quinoa Lentil Salad is a tasty, wholesome fall and winter dish. Packed with whole grains, beans, produce, and fall flavors. Serve with delicate squash or your favorite squash to enjoy even more of the seasonal ingredients. Top with lentil mushroom gravy for some extra flare.
This dish is actually just the stuffing for the Lentil Quinoa Stuffed Squash on my blog, with a few alterations (more quinoa, no flaxseed, a bit more celery). I really enjoyed the stuffing for the dish so much I decided it needs to be its own recipe – let it be the star of the show!
- 4-5 small delicata squash (optional)*
- 1 cup dry quinoa + 2 cup water
- 2-3 teaspoons white miso paste (optional)
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 cup dry lentils + cup water
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 3 cup celery, chopped
- 2-2.5 cups red apple, chopped
- 4-6 cups greens
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground sage
- black pepper, to taste
- Walnuts, for topping (optional)
- Lentil Mushroom Gravy (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Wash the delicate squash. Slice and remove the seeds. Place the squash on a pan with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until desired texture.
- Rinse the quinoa. Combine quinoa with 2 cups water, miso, and the dried rosemary in a small sauce pan. Stir the miso in well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer covered for about 15 minutes, or until soft.
- Rinse the lentils. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan, then add the lentils. Reduce heat and cook until the lentils are soft (~20 minutes).
- Wash and chop the onion, celery, and apples. In a large pan or sauce pan, sauté the onion with 1-2 tablespoons of water until translucent. Continue adding 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed to avoid sticking. Add in the celery and the apple, cook until soft. Finally, add in the garlic powder, parsley, thyme, onion powder, sage, and black pepper. Cook lightly and then remove from the heat.
- Add the lentils and quinoa to the pan with the veggies. Stir together until well combined. Optional to chop the squash into bite sized pieces or to serve them whole.
- Serve the quinoa dish warm or cold and with the squash. Optional to top with fresh herbs, walnuts, and/ or lentil mushroom gravy. Enjoy!