Its vibrant colors from the beets, butternut squash, chives and the bright white goat cheese radiate from the bowl making it eye catching and not to mention drool worthy almost instantly. It is a salad that is great for almost any occasion and can be enjoyed alone or paired with your favorite proteins.

Succulent beets, tender butternut squash, silky goat cheese, nutty marcona almonds, chewy dried cranberries, fresh chives and earthy quinoa all get tossed together in a sweet tangy maple dressing. It is a non-leafy salad that is so scrumptious and contains the right amount of fall vibes in one bowl.

If you are in need of a meal prep, dinner, lunch, holiday, weekday or weekend salad idea, I got you covered! This quinoa salad is the real deal because it is ideal for all or any of those occasions and needs above. It is nutritious, flavorful and filling and can act as a main meal or a side dish.

Did I mention that this salad is also beyond easy and fast to make? How? Well, I purchase already peeled and cut butternut squash cubes from the store. It makes things much easier as well as cuts the prep time. In addition, I purchase already cold cooked and peeled beets. You can easily source them in the produce section at your local grocery store, they typically come in a small box.

I always disliked cooking with beets, not because it is hard. But, mostly because although the color of them is gorgeous, it is also very messy and can stain easily. So, to help solve that problem, I purchase already cooked and peeled beets so all you need to do is open the box and cut them. Done and Done! The only real cooking that is involved is the quinoa and I like cooking it in vegetable stock or chicken broth to give it a little bit of extra flavor as opposed to cooking it in water.

Did you make this? If so, make sure to tag and follow @prettyplatebymichelle on instagram or leave a comment below and let me know what you thought! I would love to see your Pretty Plate and hear from you!