By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 3, 2026
Serves 4
277 cal · 40 min
Spicy-Sweet Squash Bowl
Recipe GLPRd908d327beec1a
A vibrant, plant-based bowl featuring roasted butternut squash with warm spices, fluffy quinoa infused with curry and brown sugar, fresh spinach, and cilantro, topped with toasted pecans. This gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly dish balances sweet, spicy, and savory flavors in every bite.
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Ingredients
1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock
2 teaspoons curry powder
½ tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon white sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon curry powder
Salt to taste
1 cup fresh spinach
1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
¼ cup toasted pecan pieces
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the dry quinoa, 2 teaspoons curry powder, and ½ tablespoon brown sugar. Stir well, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
While the quinoa cooks, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large bowl, toss the cubed butternut squash with 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon white sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon curry powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and salt to taste. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Roast the squash for 25–30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with the roasted squash, fresh spinach, and chopped cilantro. Toss gently until well combined.
Divide the mixture evenly among four serving bowls. Top each bowl with toasted pecan pieces and serve immediately while warm.
Comments
Butternut squash, quinoa, and pecans are solid finds at every Charlotte chain, making this an easy shop with no special stops required. At roughly $2.50 per serving—driven by the squash and pecans—it lands in weeknight range for a vegetarian bowl. The stated 40 minutes is honest if you're roasting the squash while quinoa cooks in parallel, though you'll need to stay present to layer flavors and finish the spinach. This reheats reasonably well as leftovers, making it a useful weeknight anchor, but it's not a grab-and-reheat kind of dish—the cilantro and pecans benefit from being fresh at table.
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