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This roasted butternut squash salad is my new favorite winter salad recipe. The easiest way to get your greens in when it’s cold outside and you just want to eat cozy food all day long.
I don’t do well with the cold, and when the chilly winter months arrive, I find myself wanting to hide and hibernate with warm, comforting food all season long. I usually lean on comforting soups, breads, and maybe an extra cookie or two, but that can make it a bit challenging to get my greens in. Leafy greens are such an important part of our diet, and it’s essential that we get a decent amount of raw vegetables to make sure we’re getting the full array of nutrients we need. This winter, I decided I would challenge myself to lean into salads more and discover a few new winter-friendly salads, and this roasted butternut squash salad was born. I’ve found myself craving it constantly which has made it really effortless to get my greens. I thought I’d share my new favorite salad with you here today incase you’ve found yourself shying away from healthy things like salads this winter like I always do.
Ingredients Needed for the Butternut Squash Salad
You’ll need:
- Cubed butternut squash (I buy mine pre-cut and frozen so it’s always ready to go)
- Baby salad greens
- Thinly-sliced red onions
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Chopped pecan pieces
- Dried Cranberries
- Regular yellow mustard
- Honey
- Salt and Pepper
- Olive oil
- Dried thyme
I’ve recently discovered that the type of greens that I use makes all the difference as far as how much I enjoy my salad. Of course, growing your own fresh baby lettuce is the best option, but when you need to buy store-bought, some delicate baby greens just don’t hold up. I’ve always really hated how delicate leaves can start to wilt and go bad so quickly after buying them, and now that I’ve discovered that you can actually buy extra crispy greens that last much longer, it has made a world of difference for me. I look for the pre-washed lettuce packages that say something like “super crisp,” and those seem to last a week or more in my fridge, so I can stock up once and keep eating them all week without them going bad.
Just a note about purchasing these ingredients, while I’m thinking of it: If you don’t already have a stock of pecans, dried cranberries, and honey in your baking pantry that you can borrow from, you might feel that this looks like a bit of an expensive recipe to incorporate into your everyday. I’ve found that the feta, pecans, cranberries, etc. all last me for several weeks because you really don’t need much at all for each serving, so this salad actually ends up being a really affordable option that just relies on basic veggies you’ll probably be purchasing anyway. 🙂
Method for Preparing the Salad
Roasting the Squash
Start out by roasting the butternut squash. I roast up a big batch, and I usually have enough leftovers to eat this same salad for a few days. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the cubed butternut squash out on top, making sure it’s spread out across the entire baking sheet. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the squash, then sprinkle it salt and pepper. Roast at 400° for about 30- 40 minutes, turning the squash over with a spatula about halfway through the roasting time. Bake until the squash has softened and has browned slightly on a few sides.
Mixing the Dressing
While the squash is roasting, you can assemble to rest of your salad ingredients and mix up your dressing. To prepare the dressing, add the mustard, honey, salt, pepper, olive oil, and thyme to a small bowl. Add a few tablespoons of water, and whisk all the ingredients together until you have a smooth, even dressing. I use water instead of extra vinegar in this dressing to keep the acidity down just a bit. The mustard is already quite tangy and acidic, so thinning the dressing out with water doesn’t sacrifice any flavour, but makes this dressing a bit easier on the stomach.
Assembling the Salad
When the ingredients are prepared, the squash is roasted, and the salad dressing is mixed, it’s time to put the salad together. Start with a bed of greens, then layer on the roasted squash, sliced red onion, nuts, pecan pieces, cranberries, and sprinkle on some feta cheese. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the bright, golden yellow dressing over the salad, and you’ll have a colourful, hearty feast for the eyes. (I really love this salad. :))
The combination of comforting roasted veggies, sweet cranberries, crunchy pecans, and salty feta, make this a satisfying way to increase your daily vegetable consumption without every sacrificing flavor or satiety.
Extra Additions to Make This Salad a Meal
As it is, this salad makes a tasty, light lunch, or a beautiful side dish worthy of any special gathering. If you’d like to make this salad a larger meal, consider adding some extra sources of protein or carbohydrates for a more filling dish.
Tasty salad additions:
- Sliced, cooked chicken
- Roasted chickpeas
- Steamed salmon
- Grilled tofu
- Extra nuts and seeds like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Barley
- Couscous
Here’s the full printable recipe! Refer to it on your phone or tablet, or print it off to add to your recipe binder.
This roasted butternut squash salad is my new favorite winter salad recipe. The easiest way to get your greens in when it's cold outside and you just want to eat cozy food all day long.
- 2-4 cups Cubed butternut squash (I used pre-cubed, frozen squash)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Fresh baby salad greens
- 1 tbsp Thinly-sliced red onion
- 1 tsp Chopped pecan pieces
- 1 tbsp Dried cranberries
- 1 tsp Crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
- 2 tbsp Honey
- Salt and Pepper
- pinch dried thyme
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
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Begin by roasting the cubed butternut squash on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread the squash cubes out evenly, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper at 400°. Roast for about 30-40 minutes, turning the squash pieces over with a spatula about halfway through. Continue roasting until the squash has softened and browned slightly in a few places.
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Meanwhile, mix the salad dressing. In a small bowl, combine the second amount of olive oil, honey, mustard, salt and pepper to taste, and a pinch of dried thyme. Add about 4 tablespoons of water. Whisk everything together until a smooth, even mixture has formed. Set aside.
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To assemble the salad, create a bed of baby lettuce on a plate or in a shallow bowl, then layer on the roasted squash, sliced red onion, pecans, dried cranberries, and feta cheese. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the dressing overtop and enjoy!
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Save any leftover dressing and salad ingredients in airtight containers in the fridge, and consume within a few days.
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.