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Oh my, just made this tonight for dinner! So delicious. All the flavors came together perfectly. Love your blog and can’t wait to make more recipes. The leftovers are already in the fridge and ready for lunch tomorrow. THANKS for sharing!
Alexis
There is about to be a party in your mouth.
Toasted pecans, fresh spinach, cool cilantro, brown sugar, curry, cinnamon, and white bean hummus. What in the world are you supposed to call all that amazingness?
Spicy-Sweet Quinoa Squash Bowl, according to my Overdosed Sugar brain.
Rational brain tells me to eat this for the next year to make up for the 4 sticks of butter that I was involved with this weekend.
And I have no problem with that because this. is. yummy.
So yummy that I’m already dreaming of my lunch, when I will eat the leftovers with a jumbo spoonful of white bean hummus. Oh, that white bean hummus. It’s like a dreamy creamy creamed cream sauce, without the cream and without the guilt (angels singing).
Rational brain also tells me that more more more of this spicy-sweet squash bowl is good for me.
Wishful brain tells me that I don’t have to work out today.
And Sugar Overdosed brain says I shouldn’t be writing a post after 28 Christmas cookies.
Spicy-Sweet Squash Bowl
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This spicy sweet quinoa squash bowl is a delicious vegetarian entree that includes fresh spinach, hummus, butternut squash, pecans, and quinoa.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa (+ vegetable stock, optional)
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1/2 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for mild spice)
- 2 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup toasted pecan pieces
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to directions, using vegetable stock for half of the water (optional) and adding 2 teaspoons curry and brown sugar to the pot before cooking.
- Coat squash with olive oil, white sugar, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon curry, and salt to taste. Roast in a 400 degree oven or in skillet until golden brown and fork-tender.
- Add squash, cilantro and spinach to the cooked quinoa and toss gently to combine. Top each bowl with pecans and white bean hummus.
Notes
For the white bean hummus, puree 1 can white cannellini beans, 1/4 cup vegetable stock, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 clove garlic, and salt/pepper to taste.
Nutritional information does not include the hummus.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: spicy sweet squash bowl, squash bowl, sweet squash bowl
Holy yummy. Holy healthy. Happy Holidays.
PS. I’d love for you to share your good ideas – what do you eat to stay healthy this time of year?
Ops! I accidentally got the wrong squash. Do you think yellow squash or zucchini will work? Or am I at a loss?
Hi, Chelsea! Hmmm…we haven’t tried this with yellow squash or zucchini yet but with the spices this recipe uses, we’re thinking that the butternut squash would taste the best in this case. Let us know if you end up trying it with the yellow squash or zucchini and how this turns out for you though!
A very great recipe. Am going to give it a trial.
First off, this dish looks fabulous, cannot wait to try it!! Secondly, I absolutely love these bowls! They are gorgeous and have been looking for something similar!
Anyone got any sort of idea exactly how long it usually takes to roast that darn squash at 400 degrees?? I don’t want to keep popping open the oven…
I made this last year sometime and loved it… but I also have a serious addition to salmon, so I tried putting the curry/cinnamon/sugar/salt/pecan concoction on salmon–SO TASTY! It’s basically my dinner 2-3x a week since I tried it. thanks!!
Interesting! I like that!
Just read through the comments while everything was cooking. So glad I did as I too forgot the cayenne pepper! (It’s in the ingredient list but not in the cooking directions.) Loved this recipe and like another reader commented PORTION CONTROL! It’s delicious. Thanks for sharing.
This was so good! It took me a month to get around to making it, but wow. I forgot to add the cayenne pepper and really missed it; I also added lemon juice to the bean hummus. Really fills you up and makes the house smell so good while cooking. Thanks for posting!
Looking forward to making this! I love combining different flavor palettes together so this dish seems like it is right up my alley!
Please don’t judge me, but I just don’t like quinoa. Is there something else I can use instead that will be equally tasty? Thanks for all of your creative and yummy food.
Funny – I just did a post about not liking quinoa. Try wheat berries! They’re my new thing.
Oh my, just made this tonight for dinner! So delicious. All the flavors came together perfectly. Love your blog and can’t wait to make more recipes. The leftovers are already in the fridge and ready for lunch tomorrow. THANKS for sharing!
Thanks Alexis! Glad you liked it!
I stumbled upon this the today on Pinterest and wanted to make it. I had all the ingredients except the squash, so I substituted sweet potato instead. OMGoodness, what a delicious meal. I am working really hard on portion control right now and I just wanted to keep eating and eating it! Thank you SO much for sharing!!!
Glad you liked it Dana! I LOVE putting the hummus on top. Yummy!
To stay healthy around holidays, I roast vegetables and potatoes almost every other day. It’s so satisfying and filling. I like to spice them up with tons of pepper, salt, and oregano and drizzle a little olive oil then just pop it in the oven for an hour or so and then I have a delicious and beautiful side (or snack)
I’m with ya! I especially love roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli. Mmm!
I am a Paleo chef, and sometimes look outside the “STRICT” paleo to see whats cooking. Also some people would be 100% ok with such little sugar and call it paleo approved anyway š Nice!
Love, love, love this. Over the past two years, squash has become my go-to root vegetable. From cream sauces to roasting it with other veggies, I ADORE squash. I’ll definitely have to try out this recipe. xo
Me too! It’s so versatile.
Oh I absolutely love this recipe.Will definitely be making this soon.Its looks so yummy and colorful.Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Hope you like it.
This looks delicious. My kids are so NOT into squash. I’ll have to save it for when it’s just me and my hubby . . . I certainly need it – I have NOT been eating to stay healthy lately. Saturday I ate a half pound of bacon for breakfast. . . . by myself. Then followed it with 4 cookies for lunch. Last night I ate candy for dinner as I was putting together Christmas packages. . . . Oh, how my body needs something like this spicy-sweet squash bowl!
My weekend was the same way. So yesterday I ate healthy, and today I’m back to my old cookie-loving ways. š
This time of year I like to eat roasted veggies and hearty soups. The occasional long-braised meat seems to fit in nicely as well! This looks fantastic!
Thanks! I love roasted veggies too!
Yum! This dish looks like it would be right up my alley!
Yep – these types of recipes do come around every once in a while. š