Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 10 cups
Everyone needs a great fall salad in their cooking repertoire. Even though I think of fall as (hashtag) soup season, there’s no better accompaniment for a hot and comforting soup than a cool, crisp salad. This one brings that freshness to the table, but it’s loaded with seasonal ingredients and contrasting textures and flavors that make it a salad you’ll crave all season long.
What Ingredients Do You Need?
This salad uses a spring mix base for color and texture. You’ll toss the greens with tender roasted butternut squash, a sweet and sour maple syrup and Dijon mustard dressing, roasty toasty pecans, chewy dried cherries, tangy goat cheese, and crisp-tender pear slices. The tiniest hint of spice, from a dash of cayenne pepper, adds a subtle warmth.
How To Make Butternut Squash Salad
To make this salad, you’ll start by roasting cubes of butternut squash. While the squash roasts, whisk together the dressing in the bowl you’ll use to toss and serve the salad. Finally, toss everything together and serve right away. It’s that easy!
Serving Butternut Squash Salad
This is an excellent side for your favorite fall soups, but it also makes an outstanding holiday side salad that people will actually eat. You can even turn this salad into a meal by adding a protein. Crispy skinned chicken thighs, blackened tofu, and pan-seared salmon are all great salad toppers.
Tips for Making Butternut Squash Salad
- Save time with pre-cut squash—Feel free to buy pre-chopped butternut squash for this recipe. You’ll need about 6 cups.
- Learn how to cut up a butternut squash—Knowing how to cut a butternut squash is half the battle! Learn how to cut one like a pro using our guide.
- Mix the dressing in a jar—If you’d rather add the dressing to taste than mix it in the bowl the salad is tossed in, shake up the dressing using a mason jar, then add it gradually, tossing the salad until it’s dressed to your liking.
Make Ahead
You can roast the squash up to one day in advance. You can also prepare the vinaigrette one day in advance. Do not compose and dress the salad ahead of time.
«A perfect salad needs something acidic, something sweet, something crunchy, and something creamy. This salad meets all my criteria and my go-to’s for a winner salad. You can’t beat this.» —Julia Levy
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1 large (about 2 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
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1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
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2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, divided
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1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt, divided
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1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
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2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
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1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
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1 (5-ounce) package spring mix salad greens
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1 cup (113 grams) toasted pecans, roughly chopped
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1 cup (150 grams) sweetened dried cherries
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4 ounces (113 grams) goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
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1 large medium-ripe red Anjou pear, thinly sliced
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Toss 1 large (about 2 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper together in a large bowl until well coated.
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Transfer the squash to the prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring once halfway through, until tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes
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While the squash roasts, whisk together 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, remaining 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, remaining 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, remaining 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a large bowl until combined.
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Add 1 (5-ounce) package spring mix salad greens, 1 cup (113 grams) toasted pecans, roughly chopped, and 1 cup (150 grams) sweetened dried cherries to the bowl with the prepared dressing and toss to coat. Stir in the roasted butternut squash and top with 4 ounces (113 grams) goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup) and 1 large medium-ripe red Anjou pear, thinly sliced. Serve immediately.
Feeling Adventurous? Try This:
- Use different nuts—Replace the toasted pecans with toasted pine nuts, pistachios, or even candied nuts.
- Use feta—Replace the goat cheese with crumbled feta cheese.
- Try apples instead of pears—Swap out the pear for Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apple slices or chunks.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 762 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 47g | 61% |
| Saturated Fat 9g | 44% |
| Cholesterol 13mg | 4% |
| Sodium 876mg | 38% |
| Total Carbohydrate 81g | 30% |
| Dietary Fiber 15g | 55% |
| Total Sugars 44g | |
| Protein 12g | |
| Vitamin C 62mg | 312% |
| Calcium 246mg | 19% |
| Iron 4mg | 23% |
| Potassium 1297mg | 28% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
