You’ll be hard-pressed to find a healthy menu without seeing colors of green among the offerings. Salad always brings freshness, vibrancy, and nutrients to the table. Putting a twist to your holiday lineups, we are making a fulfilling salad using butternut squash.
This Roasted Butternut Squash with Warm Cider Vinaigrette Recipe features rainbow colors of awesomely healthy ingredients to complement our Thanksgiving theme. Even those who don’t like their veggies will most likely appreciate this salad because of its multiple textures. Thanks to the starchiness of butternut squash and the crunch of walnuts.
Moreover, this superb salad is cleansing, nourishing, and healing for our bodies. This could be the appetizer or part of the main entrée. This is a perfect ‘in-between’ meal after a hearty soup and before a savory dish.
Here, we use a non-traditional, warm cider vinaigrette as dressing. Apple cider vinegar has bountiful good-for-you stuff like antimicrobial and antioxidant effects, weight loss aid, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The taste is also uniquely delicious!
Toss it with some mild, peppery, and mustardy baby arugula that’s filled with vitamin C, beta-carotene, and fiber, along with walnuts that have an excellent amount of healthy fats, and you’ve got a recipe that’s full of anti-inflammatory properties!
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Roasting Pan
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash:
- 1 1/2 pound butternut squash peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
Warm Cider Vinaigrette Dressing:
- 3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons shallots minced
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt or fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Salad:
- 4 ounces baby arugula washed and spun dry
- 1/3 cup walnuts halves, toasted
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º F.
- Place the butternut squash on a shallow roasting pan (no rack). Add EVOO, maple syrup, salt, and pepper, and toss to combine. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway, until tender. Toss in the dried cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing by boiling apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Turn off the heat and whisk in the mustard, EVOO, salt, and pepper.
- To assemble, place the arugula, nuts, and roasted squash in a large salad bowl. Dress with the vinaigrette just until the salad is covered and moist. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- To make this recipe completely dairy-free and vegan, you may replace parmesan cheese with an equal amount of vegan parmesan cheese or Parma! Or, you can simply omit them from this recipe.
- This recipe yields 8 servings because it’s part of a 5-course menu. If you’re eating this a standalone meal, on the other hand, just double the serving size and consider the nutritional information doubled as well.
Nutrition
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