Full of comforting, autumn flavors, this one-pan savory quinoa, delicata squash, dried cranberries, and sage tastes like your favorite Thanksgiving side dish, without all the work.

A pot filled with cooked quinoa, delicata squash, fresh sage, and dried cranberries.

5 star review

“Absolutely adore this recipe! A coworker brought it in for a thanksgiving potluck. It was so good I had to grab the recipe and have made it a couple times with white beans included for extra protein, although the quinoa is already protein heavy, which is a plus!”

– Camila
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This Quinoa Squash Gives Holiday Flavors in Just 30 Minutes

I look forward to Thanksgiving all year because it’s my favorite holiday. I love planning the menu, time in the kitchen preparing the meal, and the long weekend with family spending time together. And my favorite holiday side dish is the stuffing, especially my one-pan skillet cornbread stuffing. So I created this lighter version with quinoa instead of boxed or soggy bread. And a hearty combination of celery, onion, sage, dried cranberries, and sweet squash evoke the holiday classic, but without all the effort or carb load.

The beauty of this dish is that it can be made in one-pan and in about 30 minutes. It’s great as a side, or even as a main dish with added white beans or sausage if you want to boost the protein. It also packs beautifully for lunch – I’m always excited when I end up with leftovers!

Fluffy cooked quinoa, squash, fresh sage, and dried cranberries mixed in a large pot.

Tips for Sweet + Savory Side Dish Perfection

  • Sage: Whenever I have guests over that don’t like sage, I omit it while cooking, and sprinkle it on at the end for anyone who enjoys the earthy flavor.
  • Squash: I recommend cutting your squash into even, 1-inch pieces so it cooks in 30 minutes. If the pieces are too big, I find that the squash takes longer to get tender.
  • Quinoa: Don’t skip letting the quinoa rest for 5 minutes at the end! I find that this allows the quinoa to absorb any excess liquid, resulting in a delicious, fluffy texture.
Fluffy quinoa, chopped squash, dried cranberries, and fresh sage in a large pot.
5 stars (1 rating)

Autumn Quinoa w/ Squash (1-Pan Side Dish!)

by Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 10 -12 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Full of earthy, autumn flavors, this one-pan savory quinoa with delicata squash, dried cranberries, and sage tastes like your favorite Thanksgiving side dish, without all the work.
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium delicata squash, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
  • 1½ teaspoons salt, divided
  • 3-4 ribs celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • ½ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
  • 2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups vegetable stock

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, squash, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.
  • Add the celery, sage, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Sauté an additional 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the cranberries, quinoa, stock, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring to combine. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt to taste.
  • Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 25-30 minutes or until all the liquid has absorbed and the quinoa is cooked through.
  • Turn the heat off, then let stand, covered for an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Look for unsweetened cranberries in the bulk section of your local natural foods market. If that’s not an option for you, you can order a completely unsweetened, 1-lb bag here (worth it if you also want to have them on hand for other recipes and snacking). Or, you can go for apple-juice-sweetened cranberry (I love these or these for this recipe and for snacking).
  • Of course, feel free to use regular sweetened cranberries if that’s all you can find – the final results will still taste great and will only add a minimal amount of refined sugar.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 10), Calories: 180kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 361mg, Potassium: 330mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 368IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 39mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition disclaimer
Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

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