Arugula, Rice and Quinoa Thanksgiving Salad
With harvest ingredients, including rice and quinoa, prosciutto and cranberries, this lovely salad is the perfect addition to any Thanksgiving feast.
Ingredients
- 2 bags Minute® Instant Rice & Quinoa
- 3 cups diced butternut squash
- 1/2 cup prepared vinaigrette, divided
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 6 cups baby arugula
- 6 slices prosciutto, chopped
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
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Instructions
Infuse your holiday meal with vibrant color and delicious flavor with this simple salad made with butternut squash, peppery arugula, sweet dried cranberries and Minute® Instant Rice & Quinoa.
Step 1
Prepare rice and quinoa according to package directions. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Toss squash with 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Arrange in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and tender.
Step 3
Whisk together maple syrup and remaining vinaigrette. Toss with cooked squash, rice and quinoa in a medium bowl. Stir in arugula, prosciutto and dried cranberries.
Recipe Tips
For more texture and flavor, add pecans and shaved Parmesan cheese to the salad, if desired.
For crispy prosciutto, arrange prosciutto on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake alongside butternut squash for 4-6 minutes, or until golden brown.
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Delicious Holiday Dish!
Add some vibrant color to your table with the tasty plant-based ingredients found in this recipe. Perfect for Thanksgiving or a delicious weeknight dinner, you’ll want to make this satisfying salad again and again.
One of the best parts about this salad is that it’s simple to make. Start with Minute® Instant Rice & Quinoa, which cooks up perfectly in just 10 minutes. Then, prepare your other ingredients while you toss your squash in the oven. That way, when your squash is finished, all you need to do is toss everything together for a side dish or main that everyone can enjoy.
Customize Your Creation
If you want to enjoy this salad outside of the holiday season but can’t find butternut squash, don’t worry. Simply swap in another winter or summer squash, like acorn squash or zucchini.
This rice and quinoa salad is also a great way to use up any holiday or Thanksgiving leftovers, such as a roasted squash side dish, or even sliced turkey or stuffing. Try it along with a Pumpkin Curry Turkey Soup with Rice or our Leftover Turkey and Rice Enchiladas. This quinoa salad also goes great with beans so you’ll want to try it out alongside our recipe for Red Beans and Rice.
If you have bacon on hand, feel free to swap in bacon for the prosciutto. Make this recipe work for you using the ingredients you have on hand.
To make this dish vegetarian, simply omit the prosciutto or swap in a vegetarian substitute. For another great vegetarian option, try our Microwave Egg Fried Rice.
