This Vegan Thanksgiving Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette is the perfect side dish! So many fall flavors plus healthy pumpkin, plant-based + easy! Roasted pumpkin with veggies, toasted quinoa, topped a with fabulous oil-free healthy dressing!
Tara’s Tips For Perfect Thanksgiving Salad:
For the Quinoa
- I love love love love quinoa in my salad! Have you ever tried it? If not you are seriously missing out! Ditch the croutons or whatever else you sprinkle on your salad + try replacing it with quinoa! You can start with leftover quinoa or make a new batch in your Instant Pot or stove-top.
- Follow my tips here to cook quinoa quickly + easily in your Instant Pot. I make a double batch on the weekend so I have it on hand during the week for our salads or side dishes.
- Toasting quinoa is awesome πππ. Gives your salad a little crunch and some extra flavor.Β Above all, it boosts the nutritional profile up a lot! Still not convinced? Check out my article, Quinoa for Beginners, to see why we love quinoa so munch.
- Toasted quinoa only takes a few minutes in the oven.Β Check out the full recipe here.Β I also included the how-to in the printable recipe below. Super easy!
Pumpkin Vinaigrette
- Just 6 simple ingredients + oil-free! Plus, did I say healthy? YES πππ! The herbs combined with the pumpkin puree make this dressing autumn in a jar!
- I use pumpkin all year round and so should you! The vitamins, fiber, and nutrients make pumpkin a staple in the MVF kitchen at Thanksgiving time and beyond πππ§‘.Β Not convinced? Check this out: What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Pumpkin π.
- You could swap out the dressing for another oil-free dressing you love if the vinaigrette is just not your thing.Β I linked all of my favorite oil-free salad dressings right here.
The Veggies
- Use your favorites! I kept it simple by choosing a bed of lettuce + spinach mix with sliced red onions, pepitas, and cucumber.Β This combination was fabulous ππ§‘.Β Keep it simple, the roasted pumpkin is truly the star of the show here.
Roasted Pumpkin
- Let’s talk about Air Fryer Roasted Pumpkin.Β This recipe has recently become wildly popular on this blog.Β As it should be! It is awesome.
- Flavor + color + I cannot say enough about how good it is! The perfect addition to a Vegan Thanksgiving Salad!
- Use all of the spices I recommend, don’t skimp out.Β If you have an air fryer, use it! Those orange cubes transform into orange awesome in the air fryer.
- In the printable recipe below, I included the full cooking instructions.
- This is the same roasted pumpkin I used in my Pumpkin Black Bean Tacos.Β Pick up an extra pie pumpkin and after Thanksgiving, make those, you will not be sorry.
Vegan Thanksgiving Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette
November 13, 2020
: 2 people
: Easy
This Vegan Thanksgiving Salad is the perfect + healthy autumn salad. Topped with roasted pumpkin, toasted quinoa, and Oil-Free Pumpkin Vinaigrette! YUMMY!
Ingredients
- For The Salad Base:
- 2 cups lettuce mix
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 1 cup sliced cucumbers
- For The Roasted Pumpkin:
- 1 sugar pie pumpkin
- olive or avocado oil spray (optional)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp chili pepper powder (to taste)
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp salt + black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- For the Quinoa:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1/4 tsp chile flakes or other pepper powder (optional, to taste)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- For the Pumpkin Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt + black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder or granules
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp thyme
Directions
- Step 1 For the Roasted Pumpkin:
- Step 2 Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Step 3 Prepare the pumpkin by thoroughly washing the outside and drying. Cut off the stem then cut in half vertically. Scoop out all the pulp + seeds. Peel the thick orange skin off of the outside of the pumpkin with a vegetable peeler. Cut the meat of the pumpkin into wedges + then into 1/2 inch cubes.
- Step 4 Place the pumpkin chunks into a bowl and spray with oil spray (optional). Then, sprinkle with all of the spices (paprika, chili pepper powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt).
- Step 5 Transfer to the basket of your air fryer.
- Step 6 Roast in air fryer for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Shake the basket once during the 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check to see that each chunk is golden brown on the edges. If not, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Step 7 Carefully remove pumpkin from air fryer and set aside to cool.
- Step 8 For the Quinoa:
- Step 9 Start with cooked quinoa.
- Step 10 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Step 11 Spread out cooked quinoa on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
- Step 12 Sprinkle with salt + spices.
- Step 13 Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Step 14 Optional but awesome: turn your oven to a low broil for the last few minutes of cooking to give the quinoa an extra crunch, remove from oven when brown to your liking or you hear them start to pop. Set aside.
- Step 15 For the Dressing:
- Step 16 Combine all dressing ingredients in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.
- Step 17 Shake until fully combined. Set aside.
- Step 18 For the Salad:
- Step 19 Arrange all vegetables in 2 bowls as a base.
- Step 20 Layer on top the roasted pumpkin, toasted quinoa.
- Step 21 Drizzle the pumpkin vinaigrette on top of each salad when ready to eat.
- Step 22 Salad can be made and assembled ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator until ready to be dressed and eaten. Enjoy!
β€Did you make this Vegan Thanksgiving Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette? Love it? Leave a rating + a comment below!
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