This roasted butternut squash quinoa with black beans is seasoned with a mix of dried spices including cumin and chili powder plus fresh cilantro and lime juice.
Olive oil, salt and pepper are essential for good roasted vegetables, but they are just a starting point. Boosting the seasoning with a mix from your spice drawer can transform a dish and transport you to another cuisine or another part of the world. Lately, that has been my version of travel.
Roasting fall veggies like squash, sweet potatoes and pumpkin takes a different direction when the excitement of autumn and Thanksgiving is long gone. I feel more free to kick up the heat and flavor. And when I take that first bite, I always wonder why I don’t make this my default strategy for roasted vegetables no matter the season.
For this combination of butternut squash and black beans, I go big on cumin, chili powder and other spices along with lime and cilantro. The result is a quinoa side that can also be served as a vegan main. It’s that kind of flexibility that has me cook this recipe planning to fit it into multiple meals.
Once you get past peeling, it’s pretty easy to roast this type of squash. I do have a few simple tips:
Use a Y-Peeler. Yes, it can be a total pain to peel squash. A good Y-peeler is a must. You will be amazed how easily this low-cost gadget strips the skin right off. When I stopped using my straight vegetable peeler and switched to the Y version, it was life changing. That’s not an exaggeration.
Try to cut the squash the same size. Do your best. I know this can be tricky, especially when you get to the curved bell part of the vegetable, but this is the key to getting everything on the sheet pan to roast evenly. Keep practicing. Every time you prep, you will get better and more efficient.
Spread out the squash across the entire pan. Take advantage of all the space you have on your baking sheet. Each piece of squash should make direct contact with the hot metal of the pan to maximize browning potential. This is true with roasting any vegetable, and if you keep them touching, even better. When they are too close together, they will steam instead of roast.
This is what you need for the recipe:
As mentioned, you can serve the quinoa as a side dish or a main. Pair it with tacos or fajitas.
With the beans, you can think of it like a grain bowl. If you want, you can add shredded rotisserie chicken or tofu.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 4 days. You can eat them cold straight from the fridge and even add greens and a splash of salsa to make a salad. If you prefer the dish warm, heat it quickly in the microwave.
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This roasted butternut squash quinoa with black beans is seasoned with a mix of dried spices including cumin and chili powder plus fresh cilantro and lime juice.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
Keywords: butternut squash quinoa, butternut squash and black beans
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