Fall Maple Quinoa Sweet Potato Apple Pecan Bowl
Looking for a seasonal salad that’s not actually a salad? Try my fall quinoa bowl with sweet potatoes, apples, and pecans. This easy quinoa bowl is a delicious way to use your favorite fall produce while creating a healthy salad that’s not really a salad. Full of healthy grains, juicy apples, crunchy red onions, earthy pecans, salty feta, and sweet dried cranberries, this fall harvest bowl has the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. It is a great recipe for meal prep because it can be made a head of time too! So if you are tired of bland healthy food that you don’t enjoy, treat your taste buds to this filling quinoa bowl. It’s the perfect choice for lunch, dinner, or as a holiday side. Either way, you will love this fall quinoa bowl. Full recipe card below!
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What is Quinoa?
Quinoa is a small, bead like gluten free whole grain that is similar to rice in cooking methods and uses. However, quinoa is higher in fiber and protein than rice and contains less carbs. Quinoa is cooked in boiling water and comes out with a fluffy texture like rice. You can use quinoa almost anyway you can use rice except for sushi. It is often used on salads, as a side dish, or in a bowl form.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This easy fall quinoa bowl is a filling and healthy lunch or dinner and works great with meal prep as it can be made ahead of time. It is one of my favorite things to make for lunch that isn’t a salad! It has tons of fall flavors and doesn’t take too long to make. You can also convert it to a fall quinoa salad by adding leafy greens like spinach.
Ingredients
This simple autumn harvest bowl has so much flavor and makes the perfect recipe for a healthy lunch. This dish uses basic ingredients and easy steps but I will share what I used and what can be substituted.
Salad Dressing Ingredients ​
Olive Oil – All vinaigrette style dressings use an oil in the base. For this dressing I used a little olive oil. If you do not have olive oil, you can substitute it with avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.
​Apple Cider Vinegar – Like most vinaigrette dressings, this one uses a vinegar as well. This adds acidity to the dressing giving it a tangy flavor and counterbalances the olive oil. If you do not have apple cider vinegar you can substitute it with rice vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, or white wine vinegar in a 1:1 ratio.
Maple Syrup – This key ingredient gives this dressing that signature fall taste. For this recipe I recommend using pure maple syrup if you can. It contains less sugar and more maple flavor than the imitation stuff.
*** Pro Tip – When measuring maple syrup spray your measuring spoon with cooking spray first. The maple syrup will slide right off.
Mustard – For this recipe I used liquid Dijon mustard which gives the dressing a little extra bite of flavor. If you do not have Dijon mustard stone ground or brown mustard are the closest substitutes.
Pumpkin Spice – The ingredient that Starbucks made famous, haha! As the name suggests, it is typically used in pumpkin pie, but also used in a variety of other recipes. I think it adds a bit of extra fall essence to this dressing mix. I used a store bought version but you can make your own with a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger.
Quinoa Bowl Ingredients
Quinoa – I used quinoa as the base of this bowl. If you have never had it, it is a small, bead like gluten free whole grain. It is similar to rice in cooking methods and uses but is higher in fiber and protein than rice and contains less carbs. It has a neutral earthy flavor and is the perfect base for a bowl like this. Brown rice would be the closest substitute here.
Sweet Potatoes – In this recipe I used microwavable sweet potatoes to make this an easy recipe. You can find these in the freezer section at the grocery store. You can also use leftover sweet potatoes or even butternut squash which comes in a microwavable version too. While I have used both, I prefer the sweet potato version. NOTE: these microwaveable bags are usually not flavored and are relatively bland. I season mine with a little salt and pepper and let the dressing and other ingredients add the flavor.
Honeycrisp Apples – One of the main components in this fall harvest quinoa salad is the sweet honey crisp apples. These offset the earthiness of the pecans and the quinoa. If you need to substitute these, I would use a sweet apple like a pink lady or a gala apple. You could also use a granny smith, but they will have a more tart taste.
Red Onion – I chose to use a red onion here since it is used raw and doesn’t get cooked. Red onions are the best onion to use in raw applications and have a slightly spicy flavor to them. You could also use a white or yellow onion but they will yield a sharper taste. You can also use caramelized onions if you do not like onions raw.
Feta Cheese – Another common ingredient in fall salads is feta crumbles. It adds a punch of salty and tangy flavor that pairs well with the sweet apples and the dried cranberries. If you don’t like feta or if you don’t have any, you could also use goat cheese for a similar tangy taste.
Dried Cranberries – To add a bit more sweetness to this autumn quinoa salad I also used dried cranberries, aka, Craisins. They not only add flavor but a little bit of texture and aesthetic making it a great option for a special occasion like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Pecans – To add a little bit of crunch to this quinoa bowl I added pecans. They are an optional ingredient especially if you have a nut allergy, but if you can include them, they add a wonderful crunch and earthy flavor. I buy my pecans in bulk at Costco and keep them in the freezer until I need them. Frequently you will see fall recipes with walnuts, but pecans are a little bit sweeter. But if you are looking for a good alternative, walnuts are the next best thing.
Salt & Pepper – A little bit of salt and pepper go a long way with seasoning.
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Fall Maple Quinoa Sweet Potato Apple Pecan Bowl
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Looking for a seasonal salad that’s not actually a salad? Try my fall quinoa bowl with sweet potatoes, apples, and pecans. This easy quinoa bowl is a delicious way to use your favorite fall produce while creating a healthy salad that’s not really a salad. Full of healthy grains, juicy apples, crunchy red onions, earthy pecans, salty feta, and sweet dried cranberries, this fall harvest bowl has the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. So if you are tired of bland healthy food that you don’t enjoy, treat your taste buds to this filling quinoa bowl. It’s the perfect choice for lunch, dinner, or as a holiday side. Either way, you will love this fall quinoa bowl.
Ingredients
Maple Apple Cider Vinaigrette DressingÂ
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/8 tsp Pumpkin Spice
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Pepper
Quinoa BowlÂ
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 1 3/4 cup Water
- 10 oz Bag Microwavable Sweet Potatoes
- 1 Honeycrisp Apple sliced
- 1/2 Red Onion sliced
- 1/2 cup Pecans
- 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries
- 3 tbsp Crumbled Feta
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
For the DressingÂ
- In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and seasonings until combined.
For the Quinoa BowlsÂ
- In a small pot, bring 1 3/4 cups of water to a boil and generously salt the water. About 1/4 tsp.
- Once the water is boiling, add the quinoa to the pot, reduce heat, and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the water has evaporated. Cooked quinoa should be fluffy and the grains should be popped open.
- While the quinoa cooks, slice the apple and the onion.
- After about five minutes, microwave the sweet potatoes according to package directions making sure you allow enough time for them to cool. Once cooked, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the quinoa and potatoes are cooked, add a single layer of quinoa to the bottom of a bowl or plate.
- Layer on a fourth of the sweet potatoes, onion, apples, dried cranberries, pecans, and feta cheese.
- Add as little or as much dressing as you like.
Notes
- This makes 2-4 servings depending on size.
- If you like a lot of dressing, double the batch. I find that one batch works for us.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Storage
This fall quinoa bowl can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For best results, store pecans separately to prevent them from getting soggy. To keep the apples from browning, coat in lemon or lime juice.
When to Make Fall Quinoa Bowls
This delicious fall quinoa bowl makes a filling lunch, an easy weeknight dinner, or a healthy side dish for Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner. This is my go to healthy meal for lunch when I am not in the mood for a salad. But honestly you can make it anytime you want because it only takes 30 minutes!
Looking for more healthy recipes? Try my air fryer salmon tacos, Panera chicken green goddess salad, strawberry poppyseed salad, pineapple mango salsa, or green apple blue cheese salad.
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