Salads in winter must have a hearty element to them or they just don’t work for me, especially in cold, wet weather, like now. This one has roasted butternut squash, toasted pecans, dried cranberries and salty feta over a bed of dark leafy greens, drizzled with a rich balsamic vinaigrette. Yum! Best of all it’s simple, just a few delicious ingredients and good for you. Butternut squash is my favorite of the hard winter squashes and still in season. Butternut squash has a natural sweetness that really shines when brushed with olive oil and roasted, and it is loaded with vitamins and minerals, as evidenced by it’s brilliant orange color.
This salad is easy to make except for the peeling and cutting of the butternut squash It is not that really that hard to peel but if you are looking for a shortcut, many supermarkets offer it already pre-cut into cubes. Go for it if you need a big time saver! This recipe calls for 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of cut up squash (medium butternut). Supermarket packages of cut up squash are usually 16 to 18 ounces, which is equal to a small squash but totally adequate for this salad. It will just be slightly smaller. To make this salad more hearty, you can add cooked barley or quinoa. A layer of black or green lentils cooked al dente would be a good addition too.
I used a sprinkling of feta cheese which works well with its salty flavor and crumbly texture. Goat cheese would work well here too, as well as some of their vegan counterparts. If you’re not a dried cranberry fan, walk on the wild side with dried blueberries or cherries. Best of all is the vinaigrette with the balsamic reduction. It’s rich and really complements the other ingredients, however, the ingredients do combine to a pretty delicious vinaigrette without the fuss of reducing the sauce.
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6-8 cups fresh greens (baby kale, spinach, arugula, etc)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup pecans, toasted or candied
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread butternut squash pieces into a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Drizzle or spray with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You can line baking sheet with parchment paper instead of oil for easy clean up.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning a few times, until squash is tender.
- While the squash is cooking, whisk together all the vinaigrette ingredients and set aside. Or, if you want a thicker dressing, stir the vinegar and honey in small saucepan over medium heat until reduced by about half (recommended). Let cool slightly and add the remaining ingredients. Set aside.
- Thinly slice red onions and chop salad greens and add to large bowl or platter
- Allow squash to cool and then add to salad greens
- Top with dried cranberries, pecans and crumbled feta. Drizzle with vinaigrette.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6-8 cups fresh greens (baby kale, spinach, arugula, etc)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup pecans, toasted or candied
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread butternut squash pieces into a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Drizzle or spray with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You can line baking sheet with parchment paper instead of oil for easy clean up.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning a few times, until squash is tender.
- While the squash is cooking, whisk together all the vinaigrette ingredients and set aside.
- Thinly slice red onions and chop salad greens and add to large bowl or platter
- Allow squash to cool and then add to salad greens
- Top with dried cranberries, pecans and crumbled feta. Drizzle with vinaigrette.
TIPS: This salad is easy to make except for the peeling and cutting of the butternut squash An easy shortcut is to buy pre-cut squash which is a great timesaver but a bit more expensive. To make this salad more hearty, you can add cooked barley or quinoa.
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Reblogged this on goodmotherdiet and commented:
Here’s a hearty and flavorful main course salad featuring roasted butternut squash, pecans, dried cranberries and feta. To make it dairy free and vegan, try Vio Life Just Like Feta. Enjoy! Share pics!
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