The best winter salad with radicchio, roasted squash, chickpeas, quinoa, marinated onions, nuts, and a homemade salad dressing.
Why you’ll love this recipe
This winter salad recipe has a nice depth of flavor, grains, and veggies. I intentionally jam-packed this salad with lots of fiber and protein. For a few reasons, #1) inspire winter salad ideas #2) add more fiber to your salads. Adding food with lots of fiber keeps you full longer, great for digestion, and lot’s more benefits. Maybe you’ll include or try out an ingredient that you’ve never eaten before.
As I write this post, it’s a snowy day in January. I’ve been eating soups and salads all month long. I am adding lots of veggies and plant-based protein to both. Salads can be comforting during winter and fall. Like most salads, this salad is customizable. Right now, I’m loving creamy salad dressings. Until I made this citrus-date vinaigrette for the salad. It’s so good and I promise you once you try it you’ll be making it year-round. Learning to make salad dressings gives me great satisfaction. I think because it’s not something I grew up doing.
How do you get the bitterness out of radicchio?
The best way to reduce the bitterness out of radicchio is to soak them in water for about 10-15 minutes.
What’s in this winter salad
- roasted delicata squash
- radicchio
- quinoa
- roasted chickpeas
- marinated onions
- walnuts
- tomatoes
- hemp seeds
- salt & black pepper
- citrus-date vinaigrette
How to make this easy winter salad
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or oil your pan.
- Next, cut the squash into rings. Open, wash, and drain a can of chickpeas.
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
- Roast the squash and chickpeas, in a medium bowl, toss the cut squash & chickpeas with the grapeseed oil, salt, and black pepper until the squash is evenly coated. Spread the squash over the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until it can easily be pierced with a knife or fork. Set aside to cool.
- Marinate the onions, mix the sliced onions, dried or fresh herbs, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl. Use your hands to combine and allow to marinate.
- Prepare the vinaigrette, in a food processor combine all the salad ingredients except the water and blend until smooth. While the food processor is on, add a few spoons of water until you reach your desired outcome. Season to taste. Store in a glass container and leave it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled squash, radicchio, cooked quinoa, roasted chickpeas, walnuts, marinated onions, hemp seeds, and salt and black pepper. Toss thoroughly to combine. Drizzle with the citrus-date vinaigrette.
More Delicious Salad Recipes:
Checkout Cooklist App:
Cooklist is an all-in-one meal planning, grocery shopping, pantry inventory, and cooking app. Save $10 off your first order of groceries through the app. Check it out here.
Best Winter Salad (Radicchio, Roasted Squash, Chickpeas, & Quinoa)
Ingredients
Winter Salad
- 4-5 rings roasted delicata squash sub for any squash
- 4 cups shredded radicchio
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup roasted chickpeas
- 1/4 cup tomatoes chopped
- 1/4 cup walnuts or any nuts you prefer
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds
Citrus-Date Vinaigrette
- 3 medjool dates (pitted) (if not soft; soak in warm water for 5-10 minutes)
- 3 tbsp grapeseed oil or olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1.5 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika sub for sweet or hot paprika
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp sea salt plus more to taste
- black pepper to taste
- water as needed
Marinated Onions
- 1/2 cup white onion thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp dried thyme sub for any dried or fresh herbs
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar can substitute red wine vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or oil the pan.
- Cut the squash into rings. Next, open, wash, and drain a can of chickpeas. Reserve the remaining chickpeas for later use.
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. For more flavor add vegetable broth vs water.
- Prepare the squash and chickpeas in a medium bowl, toss the cut squash & chickpeas with the grapeseed oil, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Spread the squash & chickpeas over the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the squash can easily be pierced with a knife or fork & the chickpeas are crispy. Set aside to cool.
- Marinate the onions: mix the sliced onions, dried thyme, vinegar, and sea salt in a small bowl. Use your hands to combine and allow to marinate for at least 15 – 30 minutes.
- Prepare the vinaigrette: in a food processor combine all the salad ingredients except the water and blend until smooth. While the food processor is on, add a few spoons of water until you reach your desired outcome. Season to taste. Store in a glass container and leave it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled squash, radicchio, cooked quinoa, roasted chickpeas, walnuts, marinated onions, hemp seeds, and salt and black pepper. Toss thoroughly to combine. Drizzle with the citrus-date vinaigrette. Enjoy!!
Notes
Snap a photo, post it, and tag #ImWorthyRecipes and @IMWORTHYKITCHEN on Instagram
Leave a Reply