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This Roasted Butternut Squash Salad has it all! Tender, golden butternut squash, salad greens, pomegranate arils, goat cheese, walnuts, and pepitas. Packed with flavor and served up with a crave-worthy pomegranate dressing that you will absolutely love.
![This easy Roasted Butternut Squash Salad is a nutritious and flavorful salad made with goat cheese, pomegranate arils, walnuts and more! It's all drizzled with a delicious pomegranate and apple cider vinegar dressing. close up shot of salad greens topped with squash, pomegranate arils, nuts, and goat cheese](https://diethood.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/butternut-squash-salad-9.jpg)
Is there anything butternut squash can’t be? I’ve cooked it in soups, casseroles, sheet pan dinners, entrees, sides, you name it, and this salad is just one more way to eat up this tender treat. In this recipe, we’ll make a lovely salad using roasted butternut squash, nuts, fruits, goat cheese, and more, arranged on a bed of greens and lightly dressed with a homemade pomegranate dressing.
Why I Love This Salad
- Seasonal: Perfect for Thanksgiving or autumn, this salad can be a festive choice for holiday meals.
- Light and Flavorful: Combining nutrition and taste, this salad is a delicious way to enjoy a wholesome meal.
- Flexible: Whether a casual lunch or a formal dinner, it is versatile enough to be a main course paired with soup and bread or served as a side dish.
- Customizable: You can personalize this butternut squash salad with various substitutions and additions.
Butternut Squash Salad Ingredients
- For the Squash: butternut squash, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
- For the Salad: mixed salad greens, pomegranate arils, pepitas, walnuts, and goat cheese.
- For the Dressing: olive oil, pomegranate juice, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
There are several ingredients here, but assembling them is easy! Once you’ve roasted the squash and mixed up the vinaigrette, you just arrange and toss the ingredients on a large platter.
- Roast Squash: Preheat the oven to 425˚F and line a baking sheet with foil. Transfer the squash to the baking sheet and drizzle with the oil and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper, and roast for about 15 to 18 minutes.
- Assemble the Salad: Arrange the mixed greens and arugula on a large salad plate. Add pomegranate arils, pepitas, and walnuts. Set aside.
- Combine the Ingredients: Combine the olive oil, pomegranate juice, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small jar or bowl. Shake or whisk the dressing ingredients to combine. Taste and adjust accordingly.
- Top the Salad: Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Add prepared squash and goat cheese, gently toss to combine, and serve.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Substitutions: This recipe is very flexible! Try it with my roasted acorn squash recipe or a delicata. Swap pomegranate arils with raisins, dried cranberries, apples, or grapes. Feel free to use your favorite greens, nuts, and seeds, such as pecans or sunflower seeds.
- Selecting Squash: Look for winter squash that’s firm, heavy, with minimal scarring, and a matte finish on the rind.
- Protein Options: To add protein, consider cooked (and cooled) chicken or turkey, hard-boiled eggs, deli meats, or bacon crumbles.
- Adjust Flavor to Taste: Personalize the salad. If it’s bland, a bit more salt often does the trick. Adjust the dressing’s saltiness or sweetness, and seasoning levels as needed.
Serving Suggestions
Butternut squash salad makes a great light lunch or dinner on its own, but it also pairs well with a simple Chicken Noodle Soup. Try it with my Instant Pot Garlic Pork Tenderloin for an easy take or whip up this simple Grilled Chicken Cordon Bleu.
How to Store Leftovers
If planning to have this salad later, store the dressing separate from the salad greens, fruits, and nuts. Combine when ready to serve. You can also store the dressing in a small jar for up to 5 days.
More Salad Recipes
- Cobb Salad
- La Scala Chopped Salad
- Chef Salad
- Creamy Broccoli Salad
- Tex Mex Chicken Salad
- Steak Salad with Dijon Balsamic Dressing
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Ingredients
For the Roasted Squash
- 1 pound butternut squash,, peeled and sliced into half moons or diced into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- salt and freshly ground black pepper,, to taste
For the Salad
- 6 cups mixed greens
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 2 cups fresh pomegranate arils
- ½ cup pepitas
- ½ cup walnut pieces
- 4 ounces goat cheese,, crumbled
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup pomegranate juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon honey,, or to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper,, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Transfer the diced butternut squash to the baking sheet and drizzle the squash with oil and maple syrup; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
- Roast for 15 to 18 minutes or until tender.
- Arrange mixed greens and arugula on a large salad plate or a salad bowl. To the salad greens, add pomegranate arils, pepitas, and walnut halves. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing, and in a jar or a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, pomegranate juice, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper; shake or whisk to combine. Taste and adjust accordingly.
- Pour the dressing over the salad greens and gently toss to combine.
- Remove the butternut squash from the oven and add it to the salad; toss gently to combine.
- Top the salad with goat cheese, taste and adjust accordingly, and serve.
Notes
- Try this salad with different winter squashes like acorn or delicata. Use raisins, dried cranberries, apples, or grapes, and add in your favorite greens, nuts, and seeds.
- To add protein, consider options like cold-cooked chicken, hard-boiled eggs, deli meats, or bacon crumbles.
- If the salad tastes a bit bland, add more salt and pepper, or adjust the dressing’s saltiness or sweetness and seasonings as needed.
- FYI, this salad can serve up to 8 people as a side salad.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
That looks incredible! Definitely a must make!
My family crushed this salad. A definite remake. Thank you!
Pam
That’s great! I’m very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
Love how rich this butternut squash salad is! It’s ful of nutrients and healthy ingredients!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! ๐
Everyone at my house loved this! I will definitely make it again!
I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
My hubby and I are going to love this recipe! I canโt wait to give this a try!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! ๐
What beautiful and delicious salad!
Thank YOU! ๐
LOVE roasted vegetable salads! This looks amazing!
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! ๐
This looks so healthy and delicious, thank you so much for sharing!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! ๐
This looks absolutely drool-worthy! All my favorite flavors in one place!
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it! ๐
This salad is super delicious!!!
Thank YOU! ๐