Butternut squash salad is an ideal sidekick to have together with your weeknight dinner or to make for lunch or a mid-afternoon snack. It’s also possible to make this festive Fall and Winter salad in your vacation menu (Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Yr’s Eve). Or, share it with your loved ones and associates at picnics, potlucks, and events.
Fall salad
Tossed with a mustard honey-lime dressing, butternut squash salad will add recent greens, veggies, and nuts to any dinner. This crowd-pleasing Fall recipe takes solely Half-hour and requires simply 6 substances for the salad and 4 substances for the do-it-yourself salad dressing. It is really easy to make, but it creates a shocking presentation with minimal effort. Excellent for Autumn and Winter holidays – Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is easy sufficient to serve together with your weeknight dinner or to make for lunch and snack. On the similar time, the salad seems refined sufficient to share with your loved ones and associates at events or throughout vacation celebrations.
Butternut squash salad recipe – in a nutshell
- The peeled and cubed butternut squash is first roasted within the oven.
- Then, it is mixed with child spinach, roasted cashews, pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, and pomegranate seeds.
- Make the salad dressing with honey, lime juice, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. Toss with the salad to mix.
- The salad pairs effectively with all types of meat, hen, lamb, pork, pasta, and seafood.
Why make it
- Wholesome salad. This recipe is full of nutrient-dense substances which might be full of fiber, minerals, and nutritional vitamins. The salad dressing is made utterly from scratch (with solely 4 substances!) so you already know precisely what goes into it!
- Make it for the vacations. This butternut squash salad options spinach, cashews, pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, pomegranate seeds, and mustard honey-lime dressing – festive substances which might be good for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Yr’s Eve, or every other Fall and Winter vacation menu!
- Facet salad, dinner, snack, or lunch! This salad makes an incredible meatless dinner possibility, or you’ll be able to eat it for lunch. Add easy protein, when you like, corresponding to rotisserie hen, baked salmon, seared shrimp, sliced steak, and so forth.
Butternut squash vitamin
Butternut squash is a scrumptious vegetable recognized for its subtly candy and nutty taste. It is a wonderful supply of nutritional vitamins A, B6, C, and E, in addition to a number of minerals, together with magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Butternut squash can also be wealthy in dietary fiber.
Is butternut squash a fruit or vegetable?
Do you know that botanically talking, butternut squash is taken into account a fruit? Why? As a result of, by definition, fruit accommodates seeds and develops from the flowers of a plant. And, since all sorts of squash have seeds and are available from the flowering a part of crops, butternut squash is taken into account fruit! So, if you serve it to your loved ones and associates, you’ll be able to really current this recipe as a fruit salad!
Salad substances
You want solely 6 substances for the butternut squash salad.
- Butternut squash is the star ingredient on this salad. I used pre-cut cubed butternut squash which made this recipe very easy!
- Spinach is full of vitamins and antioxidants. It’s excessive in fiber and a great supply of many nutritional vitamins and minerals. Spinach is a superb supply of nutritional vitamins A and C, in addition to folic acid, iron, and calcium. I used child spinach.
- Cashews are full of fiber and are wealthy in lots of vitamins. They’re an incredible supply of antioxidants, corresponding to polyphenols and carotenoids. They’re wealthy in lots of minerals, together with Copper, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, Iron, and Selenium. These tasty nuts add crunch and texture to any Fall or Winter salad. I prefer to flippantly toast them within the preheated oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes so as to add extra crunch.
- Pumpkin seeds add crunch and texture. I prefer to toast them briefly for about 10 minutes within the preheated oven at 350 F. Watch the seeds fastidiously to verify they do not burn.
- Pomegranate. Sprinkle the butternut squash salad with the pomegranate seeds (or arils) so as to add tangy and candy taste, creating a phenomenal presentation on the similar time.
- Feta cheese provides a salty and tangy taste. This brined cheese is normally constructed from sheep’s milk or from a mix of goat and sheep’s milk. It is simple to crumble and works nice in salads.
Salad dressing
There are solely 4 substances within the easy do-it-yourself salad dressing. Whisk them with the fork in a small bowl or in a mason jar.
- Honey provides a sweetness that pairs effectively with the butternut squash salad. It’s also possible to use maple syrup.
- Dijon mustard provides a lot taste, colour, and creaminess to this salad dressing.
- Lime juice – I used freshly squeezed lime juice. It’s also possible to use lemon juice.
- Additional virgin olive oil is the perfect to be used in salad dressings.
How you can roast butternut squash
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a big bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, and recent herbs (non-compulsory). Unfold the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer, with out overcrowding.
- Roast within the preheated oven on the center rack at 400 F for 20 or Half-hour.
How you can make it forward
Numerous substances will be prepped prematurely for this butternut squash salad so to spend much less time within the kitchen and extra time with your loved ones and associates, particularly throughout the holidays, corresponding to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Listed below are some suggestions:
- Roast butternut squash as much as 3 days prematurely. Preserve it refrigerated in an hermetic container and heat it up barely when prepared to make use of.
- Roast cashews and pumpkin seeds within the oven as much as 3 days prematurely. Cool them utterly and preserve them separate from different substances to stop them from getting soggy. Retailer them in a Ziploc plastic bag.
- Put together the salad dressing as much as 3 days prematurely and retailer it refrigerated in a glass mason jar.
- Take away pomegranate arils from the shell. Preserve them in a Ziploc plastic bag.
- The meeting ought to take solely 10 minutes earlier than serving for the perfect outcomes and freshness.
- Tip: do not add the cashews, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), feta cheese, and salad dressing till proper earlier than serving to maintain the salad recent and to stop the nuts and the seeds from getting soggy.
Useful suggestions
- Buy peeled and pre-cut butternut squash at your native grocery shops. Many shops carry it throughout the vacation season and in addition within the Fall and Winter. This can prevent a ton of time in prepping this recipe.
- Toast the nuts. When you’re utilizing uncooked cashews, toast them within the preheated oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes till the nuts purchase a phenomenal golden colour. Watch the oven fastidiously – the nuts can burn rapidly. When you purchased roasted or flavorful cashews, you need not toast them though roasting them briefly within the oven does freshen them up!
- Purchase pomegranate arils in a container at a grocery retailer. This can prevent time and you’ll not should take away the seeds from an entire pomegranate.
- Use high-quality olive oil. I favor to make use of additional virgin olive oil, labeled as first cold-pressed, and packaged in a darkish bottle. Such olive oil normally has a particular peppery or fruity style.
Variations, substitutions, add-ins, and useful suggestions
You possibly can simply customise this butternut squash salad together with your favourite greens, veggies, fruits, nuts, cheese, or different add-ins or substitutions.
- Veggies. If you cannot discover butternut squash, you should utilize candy potatoes as a substitute. Candy potatoes are normally accessible year-round so you may make this salad even when the butternut squash is out of season!
- Greens. Use your favourite greens – spinach, arugula, blended greens, and so forth.
- Nuts. I like to recommend utilizing cashews, pecans, or walnuts. If utilizing uncooked nuts – toast them briefly within the oven to make them crunchy. It’s also possible to purchase salted, roasted, candied nuts or flavored nuts.
- Seeds. Add pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds. If utilizing uncooked seeds, toast them briefly within the oven to make them crunchy.
- Cheese. I like to recommend utilizing the next varieties: feta cheese, goat cheese (any taste), gorgonzola, and crumbled blue cheese.
- Add fruit. You possibly can add diced apples, pears, mango, orange slices, or mandarin oranges.
- Add bacon. Use common bacon, turkey bacon, or bacon bits. Toasted (crisped up) prosciutto or pancetta will work nice, too.
- Add protein, corresponding to hen, steak, shrimp, or salmon to show this butternut squash salad into a whole meal wealthy in protein. Grilled hen, leftover hen, seared shrimp, and rotisserie hen work particularly effectively.
What to serve with it
Butternut squash salad will make an incredible aspect to any fundamental course, including freshness and wholesome substances to any dinner. Serve it with cooked hen, steak, pork chops, lamb, seafood, or pasta – absolutely anything. Listed below are a few of my present favorites:
- Creamy Hen Pasta with Inexperienced Beans and Bacon
- Vegetarian Enchiladas with Butternut Squash and Black Beans
- Creamy Ham Pasta with Asparagus
- Creamy Acorn Squash Pasta with Sausage
Different butternut squash salads you may like
If you wish to uncover different colourful and festive salads that you would be able to make throughout the colder months of Fall and Winter or for Thanksgiving and Christmas, take a look at these recipes:
- Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries
- Christmas Inexperienced Beans with Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries
- Fall Harvest Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple, Pear, Pecans, Pumpkin Seeds, Pomegranate, and Spinach
- Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate Seeds, and Poppy Seed Honey-Lime Dressing
- Fall Salad with Butternut Squash, Arugula, Dried Figs, and Almonds
- Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels sprouts with Pecans and Cranberries
Butternut squash salad
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Components
Butternut squash
- 1 lb butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
Salad dressing
- ⅓ cup additional virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 limes – juice freshly squeezed
Salad substances
- 1 cup cashews toasted, a few of them chopped finely
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds toasted
- 8 oz child spinach
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
Directions
How you can roast butternut squash
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Preheat oven to 400 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Toss cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded) and 1 tablespoon of olive oil collectively on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
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Prepare butternut squash in a single layer (with out overcrowding) on the baking sheet. Roast for 20-Half-hour, till softened.
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Proceed with the remainder of the recipe whereas the butternut squash is within the oven.
Make salad dressing
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Mix all salad dressing substances in a mason jar. Whisk effectively with a fork, till emulsified. Add extra lime juice to style.
Meeting – Choice 1
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I favor to rearrange the salad in particular person bowls for presentation functions.
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Add spinach to every particular person salad bowl. High with the remaining salad substances, together with roasted butternut squash.
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Drizzle with the salad dressing.
Meeting – Choice 2
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Alternatively, you’ll be able to mix all of the salad substances in a big serving bowl, add the dressing (simply sufficient, you do not have to make use of all of it). Toss to mix.
Notes
- Roast butternut squash. Many shops promote precut cubed butternut squash when it is in season. That is what I used on this recipe and it saved me a ton of time! Roast it within the oven per recipe directions and refrigerate it for as much as 3 days in an hermetic container.
- Toast cashews and pumpkin seeds within the preheated oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes. That is particularly really useful for uncooked nuts and seeds. However even when you purchased already roasted or flavored nuts, freshen them up by toasting them for about 5 or 10 minutes. As soon as, the nuts and seeds are cool, preserve them in small sandwich baggage till prepared to make use of.
- Make salad dressing and refrigerate it in a mason jar with the lid for as much as 7 days.
- Take away the pomegranate seeds from the shell. Or higher but, purchase shelled pomegranate seeds in a container in order that you do not have to do it.
Vitamin
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