Butternut Squash Salad

This Butternut Squash Salad is filled with so many delicious flavors and textures! It gets topped with a tasty orange cinnamon vinaigrette, which is the perfect finishing touch. It is the most comforting salad, while still tasting fresh and vibrant. There is something about the combo of the crunchy nuts with the tangy cheese, the sweet tart bright pops of pomegranate seeds with the melt-in-your-mouth roasted squash that is just magic!

We like to top this with baked chicken or rotisserie chicken for a hearty lunch or dinner! It also makes the most fabulous Thanksgiving side salad. You are going to love everything in this fall salad, and want to make it again and again!

Why we love this recipe

• It’s super healthy! This butternut squash salad is absolutely packed with nutrients. According to Healthline, butternut squash is a nutritional powerhouse of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It adds flavor to meals while being low in calories and high in fiber. It’s also a great vegetarian, gluten-free salad recipe. Omit the cheese to make it vegan!
• It is full of wonderful flavor! You will love how irresistibly crunchy, fresh and vibrant this salad recipe tastes. It totally belongs on your table this holiday season!
• Make-ahead friendly. Prepare the dressing and squash the day before for an easy throw-together side – that doesn’t require the oven. 
• Versatile. This is easy to customize with your favorite add-ins. Mix it up with different greens, fruits, nuts or cheeses.

This recipe is fantastic! Probably one of my most favorite salads. We especially loved the orange vinaigrette!

— Kate

Ingredients needed

This butternut squash salad recipe is the perfect way to highlight one of my favorite veggies to enjoy this time of year. And all of the other ingredients are simple and seasonal. Let’s take a closer look at each one and how they come together to make this wonderful dish. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Butternut squash. For this recipe, we’re roasting about 4 cups cubed butternut squash in olive oil or coconut oil, cinnamon and sea salt.
• Romaine + spring mix. Combining both chopped romaine lettuce and a colorful spring mix provides fabulous texture and looks more elevated than using something like baby spinach, arugula or kale. However, feel free to use any favorite greens.
• Pomegranate seeds. Toss in 1/4 to 1/2 cup pom seeds to add beautiful color and a delicious fruity crunch to the salad. Feel free to substitute them with dried cranberries or another dried fruit, if they’re not really your thing or if you have trouble finding them.
• Nuts. Sliced almonds or chopped pecans are always a great addition to tossed salad. Feel free to use any favorite seed or nut variety, or even a combination of two types. Use toasted or candied nuts from maximum flavor.
• Cheese. Gorgonzola cheese is a type of blue cheese but not as poignant as Roquefort blue cheese.  It is salty with a tangy bite that beautifully compliments the sweet flavors from the squash, pom seeds and dressing. Feel free to sub with feta cheese or goat cheese, or omit for a vegan-friendly recipe.
• Orange cinnamon vinaigrette. A simple mix of orange juice, olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt brings a citrus burst with warm flavor and just enough sweetness to this salad.

How to make this recipe

The first step for making this flavorful butternut squash salad recipe is to roast the squash. While the butternut squash is roasting, you can multitask and make the orange cinnamon vinaigrette. You can also use this time to prepare all of the other ingredients, like measuring out the greens, cheese, seeds and nuts. Here’s the simple process:

Roasting butternut squash

1. Prep. Prepare a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and cooking spray, and preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Chop the squash. If you did not buy pre-cut squash, you’ll need to dice it up. Slice off both ends and then peel the squash. Cut the squash in half, vertically. Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds.
3. Cube the squash. Dice into even 1/2 to 1-inch cubes. It’s a good idea to cut the pieces all the same size, so the squash will cook evenly. If a visual tutorial might help with cutting the squash, check out this helpful guide (video included).
4. Season. Evenly spread the cubed squash on a large sheet pan and spray with olive oil or coconut oil cooking spray or toss in olive oil. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and a dash of ground cinnamon.
5. Roast. Cook the squash for about 20 minutes and until fork tender, but not overly soft and mushy.

Assemble the salad

1. Prepare ingredients. While the squash is roasting, chop the greens and place them, along with the pomegranate seeds, nuts and cheese in a large salad bowl and set aside.
2. Make dressing. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a lid by shaking vigorously, or stir together in a small bowl.
3. Toss salad & serve. Once squash has cooled some, add it to the salad bowl, drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Expert tips

• Ingredients amounts. Feel free to use your preferred amounts for the ingredients. When we make salads, we like to use the amount that feels right. For example, gorgonzola cheese can be a bit strong, so you might want to go light with it and if you love pomegranate seeds, add plenty. Throw in more of what you love, and if you think of another ingredient that you want to include, by all means, make this salad your own.
• Mixed greens. This recipe doesn’t list a specific amount of spring greens needed. Add as much as you want to join with the chopped romaine. You can make this salad as large or as small as you’d like!
• Cubed squash. Most grocery stores sell pre-cut butternut squash in the produce department, and we recommend you definitely take advantage. It makes this recipe SO much easier! You might want to make the cubes a bit smaller, but it will still save you lots of time. We do not recommend frozen butternut squash.
• Pomegranate seeds. You can purchase a whole pomegranate and seed it yourself or you can buy just pomegranate seeds in a container (in the produce department) for a shortcut. Follow this video tutorial, for removing seeds (arils) from a pomegranate.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

This roasted butternut squash salad is incredible as-is, but feel free to get creative and change up the ingredients. Here’s some ideas:

• Nuts. Try toasted walnuts, pine nuts or salted pumpkin seeds instead of almonds or pecans. You could also try using candied pecans. Yum!
• Lettuce. You can use any favorite greens. If you don’t want to worry about chopping the romaine, you can make this with all spring mix.
• Cheese. Feel free to use feta, goat cheese, blue cheese or shaved Parmesan cheese instead of gorgonzola cheese.
• Mix-ins. There are a variety of other ingredients that would be amazing in this salad. Great options are dried cranberries, thin slices of apple or pear, sliced red onion, roasted Brussels sprouts, cherry tomatoes and/or crispy crumbled bacon. You can even swap out the butternut squash for roasted sweet potato.
• Protein. Make this salad a satisfying meal by adding grilled chicken, shrimp or fish on top.
• Grains. For a boost of heartiness add leftover cooked grains, such as wild rice, farro or quinoa.

Serving suggestions

Butternut squash pairs well with a variety of main entrees! Here’s some serving options:

• Pork. This fall salad would be the perfect side dish for Maple Dijon Pork Chops. 
• Ham. When it comes to what protein to serve with butternut squash salad, ham is a front-runner. This Slow Cooker Ham is a family favorite. 
• Chicken. Chicken is another protein that pairs well with this recipe. 
• Turkey. Serve this with Roasted Turkey for a holiday feast.
• Salmon. Salmon is delicious with squash. Try this salad with Honey Glazed Salmon.

Storage recommendations

Once prepared, this butternut squash salad is best served immediately. However, if you think you’re likely to have leftovers, only top individual servings with the dressing. Once the greens are dressed, they will start to wilt quickly.

• To store. Refrigerate any leftover salad in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days. It’s best if you’re able to store each ingredient in a separate container, and if so, the salad should stay fresh longer.