Quinoa with toasted Walnuts and roasted Pattypan Squash Recipe

Quinoa with toasted Walnuts and roasted Pattypan Squash Recipe with step by step photos and easy to follow to instructions:

Quinoa with toasted walnuts and roasted Pattypan Squash – chewy Quinoa with earthy toasted walnuts and tender Pattypan squash, a delicious combination of flavors and texture for a simple yet tasty side dish. It is a great dish for a picnic, potluck or any get-together and it can be made ahead. Serve it with Tandoori Fish or take the leftover for lunch the next day.

Pattypan squash is not as popular as zucchini and there are not very many recipes available for cooking Pattypan squash. It is also known by Button Squash or Scallop Squash. I have an abundance of Pattypan squash in my garden this summer. I didn’t know what I was getting into when I planted four plants of Pattypan squash. Surely, it did not disappoint me. I think they are so cute. I almost felt guilty torturing them on the hot barbecue.

I have tons of fresh herbs and we have not had Quinoa for a while now. So what is better than dressing these pretty Pattypan squashes with fresh herbs soaked in olive oil and pairing it with Quinoa?

Quinoa is an ancient grain that is gluten-free, high-fiber and high in protein. It is very easy to cook. Cooked Quinoa can be used in salads, breakfast cereal, desserts or as a side dish. I use Quinoa instead of rice with Tandoori Fish or Raajma curry.

Here are the beautiful Pattypan squashes in my garden ready to be cooked. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t have a garden. You can buy them from the market. Okay, let’s cook some Pattypan squash!

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How to make Quinoa with Toasted Walnuts and Roasted Pattypan Squash:

Cook Quinoa first and leave it aside.
Toast walnuts in the oven, in the toaster oven or in a frying pan over the stove top. I use a toaster oven, it works really well for the small amount of nuts.
Finely chop some fresh herbs of your choice. I used parsley, chives, min and coriander (cilantro). Add ginger and garlic paste, black pepper, salt, lime juice and olive oil. Mix well and leave it aside.
Wash the Pattypan squash under running water and gently rub with a paper towel to clean. Slice them in about 1/2 inch thick slices. Add a few thick slices of onion. Put the Pattypan squash and onion in a mixing bowl or dish.
Pour the herb mixture over the Pattypan squash and mix well. Ensure that Pattypan squash and onion are well coated with herbs on both sides.
Roast the marinated Pattypan squash and onion over the barbecue grill. Place the onion about half a way through the grilling. Onion cook very fast. Pattypan squash does not take very long to cook (mine was done less than 10 minutes because it was very fresh). The store bought may take a little longer. Also when buying Pattypan squash, choose smaller size squash. They are more tender and cook fast as compared to the bigger more mature squash.
I am also using the vegetable grill tray. It is very handy for roasting vegetables. I don’t use oil on the grill tray. The vegetables don’t stick to it and they don’t fall under the grill when roasting.
Once grilled, remove the vegetables from the barbecue and let it cool a little before chopping them into bite-size pieces.
Prepare the dressing for Quinoa with finely chopped shallot, minced garlic, lime juice, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Mix well.
In a large mixing bowl, add cooked Quinoa, chopped Pattypan squash and onion. Add the dressing and mix well. Serve warm or at room temperature.
I added about half a cup of chopped and steamed snow peas and carrots, it is because I had those in my garden. They are totally optional. However, you can add a tablespoon or two of plain goat cheese. I don’t have the goat cheese with me today, so I will skip it.
Enjoy and share your experience with others!
Quinoa with Toasted Walnuts and Roasted Pattypan Squash

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Prep time

15

Cook time

35

Total time

50

Chewy quinoa, crunchy toasted walnuts and tender pattypan squash dressed with fresh aromatic herbs and tangy lime is a perfect dish for lunch or dinner.

Author: Raj Brar

Recipe type: Side Dishes

Cuisine: North American

Serves: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- 2 medium Pattypan Squash
- 1 small onion
Marinade for Pattypan Squash
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp ginger paste
- ¼ tsp garlic paste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Dressing
- 1 tbsp shallot, minced or finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions

Cook Quinoa:
1. Wash quinoa in a fine strainer under running water and leave it aside.
2. In a medium pot, add water and salt. Bring it to a boil.
3. Add quinoa; stir and reduce the heat to medium-low to allow the quinoa to simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. When quinoa is cooked, small strings will come out of the seeds.
4. Remove the quinoa from heat; keep it covered with a lid and let it rest. After about 15 minutes, fluff the quinoa with a fork to separate the grains.
Pattypan Squash Preparation:
1. While quinoa is cooking, wash and clean the pattypan squash. Slice the squash into ½ inch thick slices.
2. Peel the onion and slice it into thick slices.
3. Put the squash and onion in a dish.
4. In a small mixing bowl, add chopped parsley, chives, mint, coriander, garlic and ginger paste. Add black pepper, salt, lime juice and olive oil. Mix well.
5. Pour the herb mixture over the pattypan squash and onion. Mix well to ensure all pieces are coated well with the marinade.
6. Roast the pattypan squash and onion on a barbecue grill for about 10 -12 minutes. (See Notes if using the oven for roasting)
7. Once the squash is cooked through, remove from the heat and let it cool down.
8. Chop the squash and onion into bite-size pieces.
Final Step:
1. In a small mixing bowl, add minced shallot, garlic, fresh lime juice, red wine vinegar and black pepper.
2. Slowly drizzle the olive oil in the mixing bowl and mix it with all the ingredients with a whisk.
3. In a large bowl, add cooked quinoa, chopped squash and onion. Add the dressing and mix well.
4. Serve warm.
Notes

For Oven:
Preheat the oven to 350C. Line a baking sheet with a foil wrap.
Place the pattypan squash on the baking sheet and bake it for 15 -20 minutes. When the squash is half done, put the onion on the baking sheet along with the squash and continue to roast.

(Oven temperature may vary from brand to brand. Check the squash after about 12 minutes; continue to cook if not completely cooked yet. Avoid overcooking the squash. They will become very soft when over cooked. You would want the squash to hold its shape after it has been cooked.)

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