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Butternut Squash Salad

The ultimate fall harvest salad, this roasted butternut squash salad is the perfect holiday side dish or seasonal salad.  This salad is loaded with perfectly caramelized butternut squash, toasted pepitas, crunchy apples, sweet cranberries, and pomegranate arils and it's all tied together with a delicious apple cider maple dijon dressing. 
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword butternut squash salad, fall harvest salad, fall salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories
Author Eva Fry

Ingredients

  • 1 medium butternut squash cut into 1/2 inch pieces and oven-roasted (~4 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil for roasting the squash
  • salt and pepper for the squash to taste
  • 16 oz baby kale or spinach-kale blend
  • 1 Honeycrisp apple cored and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbled
  • 1/4 cup pepitas toasted
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate arils

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 garlic clove gently smashed

Instructions

  • ROAST SQUASH. First, you'll need to cut and roast the butternut squash lightly tossed in olive oil and salt and pepper in a 375° oven for about 40 minutes.  This step can be done in advance. and the squash can be brought to room temperature or you can reheat it gently in the oven to re-plump the squash if refrigerated.
  • MAKE DRESSING. Then you'll make the dressing in a mason jar or measuring cup.  Combine the olive oil, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, onion powder and drop a smashed clove of garlic in the jar.  Whisk together with a fork until the dressing is emulsified. Let it sit while the squash is roasting so that the flavors have a chance to marry.
  • TOAST SEEDS Toast the pepitas on a baking sheet in the oven with the squash for about 10 minutes until they are toasted and crispy.
  • TOSS SALAD in DRESSING In a large bowl, toss together the baby kale with half of the dressing so that each leaf is perfectly coated with the flavorful dressing.
  • Top with the sliced apples, dried cranberries, pepitas, roasted squash, crumbled goat cheese, and the pomegranate arils.
  • Drizzle remaining dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat.

Notes

This type of salad is best served in a low salad bowl that is not too deep.  Otherwise, if your bowl is really deep, the toppings will fall to the bottom of the bowl.