Roasted Veggie Salad (or Fall Panzanella) has homemade croutons, roasted squash, sweet potatoes, and red onions, tossed in lemon-honey or balsamic vinaigrette.
Roasted Veggie Salad Recipe
This Panzanella Salad is one of my all-time favorites, so I thought I’d put a fall spin on it and add all kinds of delicious roasted veggies. With homemade croutons (that are unbelievably good) and the best lemon dressing, this salad is the ultimate fall recipe.
What’s more, this salad is very easy to customize; you can add your favorite root veggies (think carrots, potatoes, and parsnips), switch up the dressing (a good balsamic dressing would be delish!), and even swap the spinach for kale. All good things going on here!
Let’s start by talking about how to roast the veggies for this salad.
Roasted Veggie Salad Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Sweet Potatoes | Swap with carrots, parsnips, or even beets |
| Butternut Squash | Use delicata squash (no peeling!) or acorn squash |
| Red Onion | Try shallots for a milder onion flavor |
| Homemade Croutons | Use sourdough, French bread, or ciabatta (avoid brioche or challah) |
| Spinach | Swap with kale (massage it first) or arugula |
| Lemon-Honey Dressing | Try balsamic vinaigrette for a sweeter, deeper flavor |
How To Make Roasted Veggie Salad
- Make croutons: Tear up bread, toss with oil, butter, and seasonings, and bake.
- Roast veggies: Spread potatoes, squash, and onion on a large sheet pan. Roast.
- Make vinaigrette: Shake lemon, honey, Dijon, oil, and garlic in a jar until blended.
- Assemble the salad: Toss spinach with roasted veggies, croutons, and dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips For The Best Salad
- Stick to a 2:1 ratio of veggies and greens to croutons. This gives enough crunch without overwhelming the salad.
- Serve warm for comfort-food vibes or chilled for meal prep lunches.
- Add extras like goat cheese, feta, or toasted pecans to boost flavor and texture.
Make Roasted Veggie Salad Ahead Of Time
- Croutons: Store in an airtight bag or container for 1 day.
- Dressing: Make 2–3 days ahead; shake before using.
- Veggies: Chop 1–2 days ahead, then roast fresh for the best crisp edges.
More Salad Recipes:
Roasted Veggie Salad
This Roasted Veggie Salad (aka fall panzanella) is packed with homemade Italian croutons, roasted squash, sweet potatoes, and red onions—all tossed in a crave-worthy lemon-honey vinaigrette!
Video
Equipment
- 2 Large sheet pan (15" x 21")
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups peeled and diced sweet potato 1 large sweet potato
- 2 cups diced butternut squash peeled, about 1/2 of a squash
- 2 cups thinly sliced red onion 1 large onion
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 to 6 ounces baby spinach
Croutons
- 1/2 loaf day-old French bread
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Dressing (this lemon one or see the notes for a balsamic dressing)
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 large lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Prep all veggies: peel sweet potatoes and squash; dice into small pieces. Remove outer peel and thinly slice the red onion. Add all prepped veggies to a large sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning (I use 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Toss to combine. Bake for 25–35 minutes, until golden and crisp-tender. Flip once halfway through. Remove veggies from oven, let cool slightly, and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- While veggies are cooking, tear the bread into bite-sized pieces. Transfer bread to a bowl and add olive oil, butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper (I use 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper). Using your hands, gently toss the croutons until well coated. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and bake for 15–20 minutes (at 350°F) until they are golden brown. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a glass jar. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I use 1/2 teaspoon of each). Shake to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve. (You may not use all the dressing; add to preference. Leftover dressing lasts up to 5 days in the fridge.)
- Add spinach to a large bowl. Toss in the roasted veggies and croutons. Toss with vinaigrette and enjoy immediately. Do not dress more salad than you’ll use; this salad doesn’t sit well with dressing and is best enjoyed right after dressed. To use leftovers, dress separately and store all ingredients separately.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Balsamic Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 896kcal | Carbohydrates: 109g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 29g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 699mg | Potassium: 1318mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 32320IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
wow, what a colorful and healthy veggie salad.
It’s actually a perfect delicious start to a meal. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Rimmy!