Butternut Squash Salad

5 from 2 votes

This easy Butternut Squash Salad is a delightful holiday side dish. It features roasted butternut squash, candied pecans, creamy goat or feta cheese, and dried cranberries, all drizzled with a maple-Dijon vinaigrette.

Prep Time25

Cook Time30

Total Time55

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Keyword: butternut squash salad

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $6.12

Equipment

Large sheet pan (15" x 21") lined
Blender

Ingredients

Maple Dressing

5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup mayo
1-1/2 tablespoons whole milk
1-1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Salad

1 medium butternut squash peeled and diced
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
5 ounces baby spinach
3/4 cup candied pecans coarsely chopped, see note 1
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup feta cheese or goat cheese, crumbled

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel and chop the butternut squash into small bite-size pieces, about 1-inch cubes. Place on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in an even layer on the tray. Bake for 15 minutes; remove from oven and toss. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes or until fork tender. Set aside and allow to cool for a bit before adding to the salad.
Add all the dressing ingredients into a small blender. Blend until smooth and emulsified. Transfer to a mason jar and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Add the spinach to a large bowl. Top with coarsely chopped candied pecans, dried cranberries, and feta cheese. Add room temperature squash. Drizzle dressing over the salad. Toss the salad and enjoy immediately.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Follow the recipe below to make a batch of homemade candied pecans.

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 large egg white (save the yolk and use in these healthy pumpkin cookies!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound pecan halves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl combine the white sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites, vanilla, and 1/2 tablespoon water together until frothy. Toss the pecans into this mixture, then remove using a slotted spoon. Put into the sugar mixture and toss pecans until well coated. Spread coated pecans onto a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes until pecans are evenly browned. This takes about 45–60 minutes. Let stand for 30–45 minutes and allow pecans to fully cool and solidify. Coarsely chop for the salad.

Nutrition Note: The nutritional information does not include the candied pecans. This recipe makes more candied pecans than you’ll need for the salad. View the recipe to see its nutritional information.

Storage: This salad doesn’t sit well with the dressing, so only dress what will be enjoyed the same day. Store any leftover salad and dressing separately. Pecans and cheese should also be stored separately.

Nutrition