Enjoy a delicious and healthy salad with our easy-to-make Golden Goddess Salad. This simple recipe is filled with nutrients and fiber for a satisfying lunch.
This is a perfect meal to impress friends and family. Made with fresh greens, quinoa, squash, and a tasty dressing, this is a bowl of goodness you will devour.
If you like this salad, then make sure you check out our Mediterranean couscous salad recipe too!
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🥘 Ingredients
Below you will find the ingredients used to make this salad and the dressing. For exact measurements, check the printable recipe below.
- Quinoa
- Turmeric
- Butternut squash (or sweet potato)
- Red bell pepper
- Carrots
- Zucchini (or yellow squash)
- Chickpeas (canned, drained)
- Olive oil (or avocado oil)
- Salt and black pepper
Sunshine Dressing:
- Olive oil
- Dijon mustard (or whole grain mustard)
- Tahini
- Lemon juice
- Turmeric
- Salt and black pepper
Optional: Ground cumin can be added to the dressing if desired.
📋Instructions
Begin this recipe by heating water in a saucepan until it boils. Once boiling, add the turmeric to the water, then whisk in the quinoa. Stir the quinoa, then let it simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then, fluff with a fork.
Now you will prepare the vegetables. Cut the butternut squash into two halves. Then, peel it and cut it into cubes. Peel the zucchini and cut it into cubes, then chop the bell pepper. Slice the carrots into rounds, or cut into small cubes. Set the vegetables aside.
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then lay the prepared vegetables on the baking sheet. Once the oven reaches temperature, bake for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork-tender and golden brown. Remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool.
While these vegetable roast, whisk together the dressing. In a large bowl, add the olive oil, tahini, mustard, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and turmeric. Whisk until combined. Taste, and add additional seasoning if needed.
When ready to serve, assemble the salad in a large bowl. Combine the cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, and chickpeas together.
Toss with the salad dressing, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
🔪Substitutions
If you don't have all the ingredients for this salad, that's ok. This recipe is quite versatile and can be customized to your liking. Feel free to substitute any of the ingredients.
- Replace the quinoa with brown rice, couscous, farro, or any preferred grain.
- Use black beans or kidney beans instead of chickpeas.
- Add any preferred vegetables in place of the zucchini and carrots.
📖 Variations
If you want to get creative, there are plenty of ways to jazz up this salad. As always, these are just the basics of inspiration, and you can customize your salad to your own preferences.
- Add fresh herbs such as parsley, mint, dill, or cilantro
- Mix in blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries for sweetness
- Add dried fruit such as pineapple, apricot, cranberry, cherries, or apples
- Walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, peanuts, or macadamia nuts are all great options for extra texture
- Avocado slices add healthy fats and creaminess
🫙Storage Tips
This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you're taking it on the go, make sure to keep it cold with a chilled pack or ice block until ready to eat.
This is one recipe where the roasted vegetables and the quinoa can be frozen and thawed to use later. Just leave off the dressing before freezing for up to three months.
🍽 Equipment
Make sure your kitchen has everything you need to prepare this and other meals. Below are a few of my favorite tools for the kitchen. Add them to your kitchen.
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
💭 Top Tip
Season the vegetables well before roasting. Salt and pepper are a must, but consider adding cumin, chili powder, or even fresh herbs with turmeric for more flavor.
❓FAQs
The easiest way to make it taste better is to cook it in a broth or a well-seasoned water. This recipe is great with mushroom or vegetable broth.
The average serving of quinoa is ¼ cup uncooked or ¾ cup cooked quinoa. In a salad like this, you can serve around ½ cup of cooked quinoa and make this stretch a bit further if you prefer.
Related
If you've been looking for more salads to add to your meal plan, look no further. Check out their ones below and bookmark your favorites to make soon.
Pairing
Add extra protein to this salad with one of these tasty options below.
Golden Goddess Salad with Butternut Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
For Salad
For Dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin optional
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- To start, heat water in a saucepan until it boils. Add turmeric and quinoa, whisking well. Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 cup quinoa
- Prepare the vegetables by halving and peeling the butternut squash. Cut it into cubes. Peel and cube the zucchini, and chop the bell pepper. Slice the carrots into rounds or small cubes. Set aside.½ butternut squash, 1 zucchini, 2 carrots, 1 red bell pepper
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the prepared vegetables on the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until fork-tender and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool.2 tablespoon olive oil, Pinch of salt and pepper
- While the vegetables roast, whisk together the dressing. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, tahini, mustard, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and turmeric. Whisk until well combined. Adjust seasoning to taste.⅓ cup olive oil, ¼ cup tahini, 2 teaspoon dijon mustard, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric, Pinch of salt and pepper
- When ready to serve, assemble the salad in a large bowl. Combine the cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, and chickpeas. Toss with the dressing, then refrigerate until serving.1 ½ cups steamed corn, 1 cup chickpeas
Video
Notes
- Make sure to rinse the quinoa well before cooking for the best flavor.
- Add extra seasoning or flavored broth to the quinoa while it cooks.
- Use this as meal prep for lunches throughout the week.
Nutrition
Food Safety
Are you being safe in the kitchen? Check out the food safety tips below!
- Always sanitize countertops, cutting boards, utensils, and cookware thoroughly between each use.
- Wash your hands in warm soapy water, rubbing for at least 20 seconds before rinsing. Remember, "FROG" means friction rubs off germs.
- After serving food, allow it to cool, then place it into the refrigerator or proper storage immediately. Food should be at room temperature for no more than 2 hours for safety.
Ashley Oliver says
This is my second time making the dish and I absolutely love it! It's great for meal prep weekday lunches! I was out of quinoa but subbed couscous this time and it still turned out great. My tahini can be difficult to whisk (clumpy), so I used a blender to make the dressing nice and smooth.
Joyce A Stevens says
Is there any way to make this without all that oil on the veggies? Thanks.
Katie Hale says
You can definitely leave off the oil if you prefer.