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Easy Fall Quinoa Salad Recipe with Beets and Carrots
This fall quinoa salad with roasted beets and carrots is colorful, nourishing, and comes together in 30 minutes. Sweet caramelized beets and carrots are tossed with fluffy quinoa, fresh greens, and a simple vinaigrette. Perfect for meal prep or as a side dish. Naturally vegetarian and easily made vegan.
Equipment
- 1 Sheet pan for roasting
- 1 Large pot to cook quinoa
- 1 Vegetable peeler to peel veggies
- 1 knife
- 4-5 Glass containers To store ingredients if making in advance
Ingredients
For the roasted vegetables:
- 4 medium beets peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 large carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces. I like to use organic orange carrots when I can. Often you can really taste the difference. They are "meatier" and have more flavor
- 4 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
- 1 cup dry quinoa rinsed. Red, white or tricolor.
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups baby arugula or baby kale
For the toppings:
- 1 cup Walnuts (Optional) Toasted if you have time, pumpkin seeds, or toasted pecans for crunch, or try my honey roasted walnuts or maple coated nuts for that fall harvest theme.
- Goat cheese or feta for creaminess Skip if you're making a vegan fall quinoa salad
- 1/2 cup Salad dressing. All you need is oil and balsamic vinegar or use a batch of my French lemon shallot vinaigrette
Instructions
Step 1: Get Everything Ready
- Chop your beets and carrots into roughly one-inch pieces. Rinse your quinoa under cold water. This gets rid of the bitter coating. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- A few minutes of prep makes the whole thing feel calmer. I learned this the hard way after years of chaotic cooking where I'd realize halfway through that I forgot to chop something.
Step 2: Roast the Vegetables
- Toss beets and carrots separately with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on separate baking sheets (beets bleed and cook slower than carrots).
- Roast beets for 35-40 minutes and carrots for 25-30 minutes, or roast beets for 10 minutes first, then add carrots to the same sheet and roast both for 20-30 more minutes. They're done when fork-tender and caramelized. Don't crowd the pan or they'll steam instead of roast.
Step 3: Cook the Quinoa
- Use a 1:2 ratio. One cup quinoa to two cups water. Bring it to a simmer, cover it, and let it cook for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let it sit with the lid on for another five minutes. Fluff it with a fork.
- That steaming step is what makes it fluffy instead of mushy. Don't skip it. Let your quinoa cool to room temperature.
Step 4: Prepare your salad greens
- Wash and dry your baby spinach and arugula really well in a large bowl. I like to use a salad spinner – you want those salad ingredients completely dry so the dressing sticks properly.
Step 5: Toast the nuts (Optional)
- If your walnuts aren't already toasted, spread them on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Let them cool, then roughly chop for those crunchy walnuts we love. For extra flavor and crunch, try my super easy honey roasted walnuts or maple nuts.
Step 6: Make your dressing (or use store bought)
- You can use a mixture of 3 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar or 2 parts olive oil and 1 part lemon juice, or better yet, try this easy, tangy French lemon shallot vinaigrette. You'll want about 1/2 cup for this quinoa salad recipe.
Assemble in a large salad bowl
- Start with the base of this salad – your mixed baby spinach and arugula in a large bowl. Scatter the cooled quinoa over the salad greens, then arrange the roasted vegetables on top. Sprinkle with the salty feta cheese, crunchy walnuts, fresh herbs if using.
- Drizzle with the dressing just before serving.
Notes
Note: Nutrition facts did not include salad dressing. Also, they are calculated using an automated mechanism. They are provided for information purposes only and you should not rely on them as they could be subject to error.
To make vegan fall quinoa salad: Don't use the goat cheese or feta cheese. And load up on the toasted nuts and seeds.
Quinoa substitution: Farro, bulgur wheat, or even brown or wild rice. (But farro and bulgur wheat are NOT gluten free).
Roast veggie substitution: Pumpkin, brussel sprouts, any fall veggie will work well.
Serving suggestions: Perfect as a light lunch, warm or cold. Serve it with grilled chicken, salmon, beef, tofu, chickpeas, lentils, or soft-boiled eggs all work beautifully. Or serve as a pretty side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Storage
- Store everything separately if possible—it keeps everything fresh longer.
Roasted beets and carrots last 4–5 days in an airtight container. Cooked quinoa keeps 3–4 days max. Fresh greens stay crisp for 2–3 days. Dressing will last up to a week in a sealed jar. Keep nuts and seeds separate so they stay crunchy. - You can freeze roasted vegetables and quinoa for up to 2 months. Spread them on a tray to freeze, then transfer to freezer bags. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Don’t freeze greens, cheese, or dressing—they get watery.
- Beets can stain other ingredients, so store them separately or use parchment layers.
- If you only have one container, layer quinoa on the bottom, parchment, vegetables, more parchment, then greens on top.
- Add cheese, nuts, and dressing only when ready to serve.
- This salad tastes best at room temperature, so let it sit out 20–30 minutes before eating.
- After 4 days, toss any leftovers.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 653kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 19gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 17gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 584mgPotassium: 1155mgFiber: 11gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 18533IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 323mgIron: 5mg
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