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Roasted Squash And Goat Cheese Salad – the perfect salad for fall with 2 kinds of roasted squash, apples, cranberries, goat cheese and a Dijon vinaigrette!
Salads are one of those things that often get over looked. You kind of just throw lettuce in a bowl and add a few toppings you have on hand, open a bottle of a dressing and call it good. But that is just sad. A salad really can be delicious and full of so much flavor!
This goat cheese salad is loaded with tons of delicious fall flavors that will get you excited to eat your vegetables. Not to mention it is just down right pretty. Anyone would be happy to dig into this around your holiday table.
What’s In Butternut Squash Salad
- Mixed Greens
- Apple
- Carrot
- Goat Cheese
- Pine Nuts
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Dried Cranberries
- Butternut Squash
- Delicata Squash
Goat cheese is one thing that my family can really agree on. It is a huge hit in just about any form. This Goat Cheese Dip is a huge favorite and requested anytime we have a get together. But also we love to put it on homemade pizza, add it to our Charcuterie Board, or just add it to any other salad.
How To Roast Squash
- The oven will need to be nice and hot when you start. Preheat to 425 degrees F.
- To prepare your squash slice off the stem at both ends. For butternut squash use a peeler to remove the skin. Delicata squash you can leave the skin on.
- Cut the squash in half the length wise, and scoop out the seeds.
- Dice butternut squash into about 1/2 inch cubes. Delicata squash you slice into half moon shapes. You want to get them as close to the same size/thickness as possible, so they cook at the same rate.
- Toss the squash pieces with olive oil, salt, and thyme and then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- They will cook in about 30 minutes, but you will want to flip them after the first 15 minutes.
How To Make Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Salad
- Start by roasting the squash. You can follow the tips above if you have never done it before.
- Then make the dressing. This is super easy, you just whisk all the ingredients together until it is really well blended. I like to use a mason jar, so I can put the lid on and just shake for a minute or two.
- Next is assembly. Start by putting the layer of greens in the bottom, and then arrange the toppings.
- Drizzle some of the dressing over and toss to serve. I like to start small with the amount of dressing and then add more after it is tossed, or allow people to add more on their own.
This goat cheese salad is loaded with so many great fall flavors, it is perfect to serve for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just for lunch!
Butternut Squash Salad Tips
- Delicata Squash does not need to be peeled. You will want to take the peel off the butternut squash before you dice it, but it is not necessary for delicata.
- Don’t have Pine Nuts? You can use pecans, walnuts, throw in candied nuts, pistachios, or even pumpkin seeds. It is very versatile, just use what you have or your favorite.
- The salad greens can be a mix of whatever you like. Arugula makes it have a little pepperiness in the background. Butter lettuce is nice and tender. I like to buy a spring mix at the store so I get a little of everything. But spinach would be delicious as well.
- Mix up your herbs! The squash is roasted with a little thyme, but you could use rosemary or sage as well. Or use a blend of all of them together.
- This is not a salad that you can really make ahead of time. You can definitely make the dressing the day before and then just give it a good shake or whisk to bring it together again. But if you assemble the actual salad the lettuce will wilt, the apple will turn brown and the nuts will get soft.
This salad may look fancy and like it has a lot going on, but it is actually really easy to make. You can have almost everything prepped ahead of time, so when it comes to actually making it, it doesn’t take that long.
I like to cut up my squash and then store it in an air tight container in the fridge until I am ready to cook it. It lasts for days in the fridge, so you can prep that ahead of time, have the dressing ready. And then you just have to roast the squash and slice your apple when it comes time to make the salad.
Salad Storage
Unfortunately this isn’t a salad that is going to provide great leftovers. As the salad sits the Dijon vinaigrette will just make the lettuce and everything else soggy. So it is best to try to make what you will eat in one sitting. Then store all the ingredients separately, so you can throw them together again the next day to enjoy more!
The Dijon Vinaigrette dressing for this salad is super versatile. It goes really well with these fall flavors, but you are going to find yourself wanting to put it on everything.
More Salad Recipes
- Fall Couscous Salad
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Sausage & Wild Rice Salad
- Chicken Fajita Salad
- Grilled Chicken Antipasto Salad
- Southwest Cobb Salad
Roasted Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients
Roasted Squash
- 1 small butternut squash, in ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
- 1 small delicata squash, in ¼-inch slices (about 2 cups)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ tsp dried
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ tsp dried
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For the Salad
- 8 ounces mixed salad greens, 2 standard bags/boxes
- 1 apple, sliced thinly
- 1 carrot, spiralized or shredded
- 6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
Roast the Squash
- Preheat your oven to 425F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Toss together butternut squash, delicata squash, olive oil, thyme, and salt.
- Arrange squash in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven once the squash starts to brown. Set aside to cool.
Make the Salad Dressing
- Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. Set aside.
Assemble the Salad
- Combine the roasted squash, mixed salad greens, goat cheese, apple, carrot, pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, and dried cranberries in a large bowl.
- Top with a light drizzle of dressing and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is such a fantastic salad!! I love the flavors!! YUM!
One of my favorite salads to make for Thanksgiving!
Yummy! This looks so delicious and tasty! My husband is going to love this recipe! I can’t wait!
Such a great salad and perfect for fall! Adding this to my Thanksgiving menu; looks too good to pass up!
We really love goat cheese in our house too. So creamy and goes perfectly with this roasted squash. Love it!
Yum! Love rich and healthy fall salads! The addition of goat cheese make it irresistible!
Squash & goat cheese is such a yummy combo!
YUM!! My fave Thanksgiving salad!! Can’t wait to make it!
The perfect addition to the Thanksgiving meal! Looks SO GOOD!