i’m set to go back to school tomorrow. it’s been a full spring break (portland and tahoe and too much baking/cooking), but even given all that fun, i’m not dreading going back. i have 4 day weekends this quarter (i didn’t have much of a choice, though not complaining), i’m bringing a car (so many adventures!! also excited not to have to lug groceries to my apartment on the bus) and there are disney plans for the first saturday. anyways, these chimichurri and butternut squash quinoa bowls signal my return to socal; i tend to eat (slightly) healthier at school because i have healthier snacks lying around, and in general am too busy to make the intense things i do at home. plus, winter squash is basically gone, so here’s to one last butternut hurrah until it comes back in 7-8 months.
these chimichurri and butternut squash quinoa bowls were inspired by naturally ella’s breakfast tacos. they both have super creamy, almost rich, super sweet squash, as well as a zingy chimichurri (though i opted out of the kale). unlike the tacos though, this bowl has a base of quinoa (if you haven’t cooked it in a rice cooker before, highly recommend), as well as some almonds and sesame seeds for toasty crunchy deliciousness. i went with a crispy fried egg, and i can’t stop staring at those lacy edges. the main reason i eat fried eggs is because of those crispy, salty bits.
1 year ago: Creamy Coconut Milk Chicken Adobo, Buttermilk Oatmeal Raisin Scones
2 years ago: Orange Supremes, Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache and Raspberries
3 years ago: Garlic and Rosemary Infused Penne with Chickpeas, Mini Brown Butter, Coconut and Raspberry Cakes
Chimichurri and Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowls
Serves 4
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1/4 cup minced parsley leaves
2 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups quinoa, cooked
grated parmesan (optional)
4 fried or poached eggs
1/3 cup toasted almonds (slivered, sliced or chopped)
2 T toasted sesame seeds
- Toss the butternut squash with some oil and salt, then spread into a single layer on a lined baking sheet. You may need 2 baking sheets if you find that using 1 forces all the squash to touch each other. Roast the squash at 400F for 25-30 minutes, or until fork-tender and golden brown.
- Combine the parsley, green onions, garlic, red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl.
- If you want, you can toss the quinoa with a drizzle of olive oil and grated parmesan.
- Assemble the bowls: divide the quinoa into 4 bowls, then top each with an egg, some almonds and sesame seeds, a spoonful of chimichurri, and the squash. You may have leftover squash, which is delicious as a leftover vegetable. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Such a flavorful bowl with vibrant colors. Sweet roasted butternut squash with fresh chimichurri and a soft poached egg….perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
thanks, maria! wouldn’t have thought of this for breakfast but i don’t see why not (;
Chimichurri and squash?? With an egg? This is right up my alley. How yum! Good luck with getting back to school 🙂
chimichurri, squash and eggs are all up my alley separately, but together?! even better 😋
I am a sucker for anything with an egg on it!! This looks yummy! Sounds like you had a great spring break!! That’s awesome that you aren’t dreading going back to school 🙂 xoxo
i wasn’t dreading going back; now that i’m here, i’m ready for break again (or at least not so much reading!).
Such a perfect combination for breakfast or dinner! So healthy too 🙂 I’d love this with some hot sauce!
i love a chili garlic sauce that’s more garlicky than spicy, and think it would go perfectly with this! what kind of hot sauce would you use? 😋
What a wonderful healthy combination of ingredients! Quinoa, butternut squash, chimichurri, and eggs?! So delish. I totally agree about the crispy, salty bits of the fried egg; they are the best parts!
my dinner tonight had 2 crispy fried eggs and they definitely were the best parts of the meal (;
OMG! So much delicious in one bowl! It is gorgeous, too! I love my eggs that way, too, it’s the only way I’ve been making them lately. A great way to begin a new semester or quarter!
crispy fried eggs are delicious (i think that’s well-established!), but i also love that they’re so fast. my impatience seems to kick into high gear when it comes to cooking eggs, lol.
There’s something about squash I just can’t get enough of it. I hope you enjoyed your spring break, it’s always hard for me to get back to work after some time off but it looks like you have it down to a science. I’m going to try this recipe sometime this week. It’s perfect for spring. 🙂
it was all talk! come actually getting up and going to class and trying to study; that’s another story. hope you get to try this one before all the squash disappears!
I’m just LOVING this! Every single ingredient is on my list of food-loves. And I’ve never thought to cook quinoa in a rice cooker. That’s brilliant! I’m glad you enjoyed your spring break and I’m so impressed you eat healthier IN school than out. I always ate total junk when school was in session 🙂
my favorite part about cooking quinoa in a rice cooker is that i don’t have to watch it! no worries about overboiling or burning, yes PLEASE. and i try to eat healthier when i’m at school because at home i turn out a lottttttt of dessert (even if i give the majority away) and i don’t walk as much (somehow i end up walking 4+ miles everyday around campus whereas home = couch potato time).
I’d totally swap in cauliflower rice for the quinoa, and then wolf this puppy down like hungry wolves on a deer carcass. Graphic. BUT TRUE! lol!
i need to try cauliflower rice again. the one time i made it, i used vanilla soy milk, and it was not quite right. and lol that is graaaaaphic, but definitely gets the point across!!
I love anything with a runny egg on top! This whole thing looks so good! I eat Winter squash year around, It never goes out of season for me!
it never goes out of season for you?! i’m jealous! i didn’t see any when i went to the grocery store the other day (i might have seen prepped squash, but not any whole ones).
I should try cooking quinoa in rice cooker. Thanks for the tip. Loving that egg and the chimichurri addition to brighten things up. Have fun at school!! 🙂
i hope you do! it’s so much easier cooking quinoa in a rice cooker than stovetop (: and chimichurri definitely brightens things up and makes it 292304x more interesting!
What a mouthwatering dish! I will definitely give it a try!
thanks, agness! 😊
So many yummy things in one bowl! that egg tho…I love making quinoa in the rice cooker too the texture is always just right!
the egg, indeed! i need to work on my oozy egg yolk work; the last time i tried to open it up nicely with my fork, it didn’t want to run everywhere and i had to keep shoving (coaxing was not working) it over the edge. by then, not quite picture worthy 😅
Yum! Gorgeous bowl of goodness. I love those crispy lacey egg sides too!!
who needs doilies and dresses with lace when you have crispy lacey egg edges?! 😍😋
Hope you had a wonderful spring break! And it sounds like you have a TON of fun things planned this semester! LOVING this bowls of yum, girlfriend! I could seriously eat this for lunch every day of my life. <3 Cheers!
heck, i’m wishing i had these for lunch everyday! my lazy lunches of cold tofu with furikake or soy sauce and sesame oil, or hummus and veggies, are tasty but not on the same level as these bowls.
That fried egg! looks absolutely amazing! 🙂 sweet salty and tang wrapped in a bowl. So much flavour. That’s pretty awesome that you have a 4 weekend week, when I was in college I remembered trying to setup my schedule just so I could have at least a 3 weekend week and those semesters, it was glorious – it’s almost like a mini vacation once a week. 🙂
it sounds like a bunch of people ended up with 4 day weekends this quarter! the class offerings were a little weird and pretty stacked instead of spread out, so my schedule happened rather than me trying to finagle it. not complaining, though! 😁
love quinoa and love chimichurri sauce! what a great combo!
thanks, anna! 😄
You’ve combined two of my favorite pieces in this dish and they are both in your title lol! I don’t think people are using chimichurri as much as they should be and that it’s oddly underrated. But I love that you’re pushing it forward here. But the moment I saw the butternut squash the hungry kid in me got soooooo excited. I used to hate them as a kid but appreciate them so much now. And to see this in your bowl is like a happy heaven of so much good stuff. Love that you managed to squeeze this recipe in before going back to school. And CONGRATS times 294893284989234 on getting a car. That’s gonna be a big life saver and no more bus hopping, WHOOP WHOOP!!!
chimichurri is soooo underrated. i love herbs anywhere and everywhere, and think they add so much flavor! also, i think all parents wish that butternut squash enticed hungry kids, lol. bus hopping is still happening (my permit doesn’t let me park on campus during the day, sigh), but i’m still appreciating the freedom outside of that!
Ah sounds like a great spring break! Disney all the way, soo fun. These bowls look great girl!
speaking of disney, i’m getting up at 5:45 tomorrow morning to go. should be interesting (and there will definitely be a massive mug of green tea with me).
Yum!! I am all about quinoa bowls. This looks so delicious and healthy. I’ll have to try it!
on a quinoa-related note: i think that the smell of quinoa cooking is really cozy, but my mom thinks it smells gross lol.