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Butternut squash salad combines roasted squash, tart apples, chewy cranberries, and pecans for a burst of flavor and delightful contrast.
Here’s a standout fall or winter salad starring everyone’s favorite ingredient: butternut squash salad! This one is a flavor symphony in a bowl: hearty sweet squash pairs with crisp apple, chewy cranberries, and a citrusy orange vinaigrette. The best flavors of fall and winter ingredients sing together in perfect harmony!
I’ve served this one to guests, and everyone remarks how tasty it is, especially the citrus zing of the dressing.
Elements in This Butternut Squash Salad
This festive butternut squash salad is the poster child for fall and winter salads! It’s packed with nutrient-dense seasonal produce with all the perfect contrasts. Crisp tart apple contrasts tender sweet squash, crunchy pecans contrast chewy tart cranberries. A sprinkle of salty cheese sets off the fresh vegetables, and it’s covered in a zesty orange dressing.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butternut squash
- Apple
- Dried cranberries
- Pecans
- Mixed greens
- Feta cheese, or substitute goat cheese (omit for vegan)
- Homemade orange vinaigrette
Make the Butternut Squash in Advance
The trickiest part of this salad? Roasting the butternut squash. It takes about 45 minutes total, so I suggest making it ahead of time. You could also try roasting frozen butternut squash, but to me, there’s nothing like the real thing! Here’s what you’ll need to know:
- Peeling and cutting the butternut squash is the hardest part! Here’s my method for How to Cut Butternut Squash. A serrated vegetable peeler is key for removing the tough skin.
- Roast for 25 to 35 minutes at 425F. Check out Roasted Butternut Squash for all my tips!
- Leave at room temperature for a few hours, or refrigerate until serving. If you make it the day before, refrigerate it, then bring it to room temperature before serving on the salad.
Tips for the Orange Vinaigrette
The star of the show in this butternut squash salad recipe is the orange honey vinaigrette! It makes a massive pop of citrusy flavor that brings all the ingredients together. Here’s what to know about this dressing:
- The big flavor comes from orange zest, not juice! When developing this recipe, I played around with using a combination of orange juice and zest. I found that the juice wasn’t needed (and made the dressing too watery). All you need is a hefty tablespoon of orange zest, and the flavor pops!
- Use about half the dressing for the salad, then refrigerate the remaining dressing. A good rule of thumb is about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of dressing per serving. But you can eyeball it! Just make sure there’s good coverage (no one likes naked greens!).
Ways to Serve It
This butternut squash salad is the ideal fall salad or winter salad for any occasion, be it a weeknight meal or dinner party. It also works as a main dish with some added protein! Here are some ideas:
- Side dish for any meal, especially Thanksgiving or Christmas
- Add a whole grain like farro or barley for an even more filling salad (add 2 cups cooked and seasoned whole grain)
- Make it into a main dish salad by adding a protein like pan fried chicken or crispy tofu
Storing Leftovers
Here are a few tips on storage:
- Roasted squash: If you roast the squash ahead of time, store it refrigerated until ready to use and bring it to room temperature before serving. It lasts 3-5 days in the fridge.
- Orange vinaigrette dressing: Refrigerate leftover dressing for 5 to 7 days, and bring it to room temperature before serving.
Dietary Notes
This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, omit the cheese. Use maple syrup in the dressing for vegan.
Butternut Squash Salad
This butternut squash salad is bursting with flavor! Roasted squash combines with crisp apples, chewy cranberries, and crunchy pecans for a delightful textural contrast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: Salad
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the butternut squash salad
- 1 recipe Roasted Butternut Squash
- 8 cups mixed greens
- 1 red apple, diced
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup feta cheese or goat cheese crumbles (omit for vegan)
- 3 tablespoons chopped pecans
For the orange vinaigrette (makes ¾ cup; use approximately 6 tablespoons for 4 servings)
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Roast the squash: Make the roasted butternut squash, following the instructions in that recipe. (I suggest making this portion in advance; store the roasted squash refrigerated until ready to use and bring to room temperature before serving.)
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, orange zest, honey, and kosher salt. Gradually whisk in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until a creamy dressing forms. (Store leftovers refrigerated and bring to room temperature before serving.)
- Serve the salad: Add greens to a platter or individual salad plates, and top with the roasted squash, diced apple, cranberries, cheese crumbles, and chopped pecans. Drizzle with the desired amount of dressing (use approximately 6 tablespoons for 4 servings; store the remaining dressing refrigerated).
I’m excited to hear, what meat choice would complement up nicely with the salad?
Would be lovely with chicken thighs https://www.acouplecooks.com/baked-chicken-thighs/
What meat choice would pair up nicely with this salad?
Excited to hear your response!
Such a nice looking and delicious salad! Really enjoyed the bright pop of orange in the dressing – I thought it paired very well with the squash and cranberries! Will definitely make again!
Made your salad and was a BIG hit with my family. Didn’t have the cheese crumbles but still very good. Thanks for the easy & healthy recipe!
I LOVE YOUR RECIPIES
Thank you!
im new here
Love the idea of the citrus with the butternut squash. Such a beautiful looking salad.