Roasted Butternut Squash Salad Is a Dish You’ll Make Again and Again

Click here to view original web page at www.eatingwell.com

Be the first to rate & review! This roasted butternut squash salad, with its caramelized butternut squash, tender kale and a zingy dressing, makes the perfect dish. Whether paired with roasted chicken or seared steak or enjoyed on its own, it brings a balance of sweet and savory to […]

Click here to view original web page at www.eatingwell.com

Be the first to rate & review!

This roasted butternut squash salad, with its caramelized butternut squash, tender kale and a zingy dressing, makes the perfect dish. Whether paired with roasted chicken or seared steak or enjoyed on its own, it brings a balance of sweet and savory to the table, making it a crowd-pleaser at any gathering. Feel free to swap out the lacinato kale for curly kale or try another winter squash like honeynut or delicata in place of the butternut.

Tested by

Amanda Holstein

Reviewed by Dietitian

Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

6

Nutrition Profile:

Anti-Inflammatory Sesame-Free Weight Loss Healthy Pregnancy Soy-Free High-Fiber Vegetarian Egg-Free Gluten-Free

Jump to Nutrition Facts

This Roasted Butternut Squash Salad is bursting with fall flavors, though we’d eat it all year round. It’s the ultimate salad—the perfect medley of sweet, earthy and umami flavors. A tart pomegranate-maple vinaigrette is massaged into fiber-packed, tender kale before tossing it with antioxidant-rich butternut squash, salty Parmesan cheese, crunchy pecans and dried cranberries. Altogether, it’s a vibrant salad that makes a beautiful main dish or an accompaniment to a meal, whether you’re enjoying an everyday lunch or a holiday dinner. Keep reading for our expert tips, including ingredient swaps and shortcuts to save time in the kitchen.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• Massaging kale helps tenderize it and tempers its bitterness. Coat the leaves with a minimal amount of dressing when massaging, as overdressing will wilt the greens too much.
• You can use pre-cut squash from the grocery store to save time.
• Feel free to substitute the lacinato kale with other varieties—it will be just as tasty.
• You can swap the Parmesan cheese for goat cheese, feta or shaved manchego.
• For the best flavor, toast nuts before using in a recipe. Place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition Notes

• Butternut squash contains a compound called beta carotene, which gives it a gorgeous orange color and is an antioxidant that can help reduce inflammation in the body.
• Kale is a dark leafy green that contains high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin—two important antioxidants for eye health. These antioxidants belong to the same family as beta carotene and can help protect the eyes against damage from the sun.
• Don’t leave out the pomegranate arils in this salad. Small fiber-filled additions to your dishes can add up to big benefits for your gut microbiome, so sprinkle them on with delight.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 6 cups)

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice

• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

• 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

• ½ teaspoon salt, divided

• 8 cups chopped lacinato kale

• ½ cup thinly sliced scallions

• ⅓ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

• ⅓ cup pomegranate arils

• ¼ cup unsweetened dried cranberries

• ¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in upper third position. Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet until well coated; spread in an even layer. Roast, stirring once, until tender, about 30 minutes. Leaving the squash in the oven, increase oven temperature to broil. Broil until browned, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, about 5 minutes.

   

2. Meanwhile, whisk 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice, 1 tablespoon each vinegar and maple syrup, 2 teaspoons mustard, 1 teaspoon orange zest, ¼ teaspoon salt and the remaining 4 tablespoons oil and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl until well combined.

   

3. Place 8 cups kale in a large bowl; drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the pomegranate vinaigrette. Massage with clean hands until the kale is bright green and the volume has reduced by about half, about 1 minute. Add the roasted squash, ½ cup scallions, ⅓ cup each Parmesan and pomegranate arils, ¼ cup cranberries and the remaining pomegranate vinaigrette and ¼ teaspoon salt; toss until evenly combined. Top with ¼ cup pecans.

   

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make Roasted Butternut Squash Salad ahead of time?

  Of course! You can prepare the roasted squash up to 5 days in advance. After cooking, let it cool down and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The perishable salad components can be prepped and stored in the fridge for up to a day ahead, and the dried cranberries and toasted nuts can remain at room temperature in sealed containers. The vinaigrette can be made up to a week ahead and stored in the fridge.

• Can I use the pomegranate-maple vinaigrette on other salads and vegetables?

  This dressing is perfect for a green salad and for drizzling over steamed broccoli, green beans, roasted carrots, turnips, parsnips and other favorite vegetables.

• Why is my roasted butternut squash mushy?

  Typically, butternut squash becomes mushy if it is not cooked at a high enough temperature. However, there should be no issue with this recipe as the squash will be roasted at 425°F and then broiled to further increase the heat.

• What is the easiest way to cut a butternut squash?

  To prepare the squash, you will need a good, sharp knife, a Y-shaped peeler and a regular spoon or a grapefruit spoon. Begin by slicing off a small portion from both ends of the squash, then cut the squash in half to separate the bulb from the neck. Next, use the Y-shaped peeler to remove the peel from each section, followed by using the spoon to remove the seeds. Finally, cut the squash into uniform cubes.

• What should I serve with Roasted Butternut Squash Salad?

  This salad is a meal on its own, but you can pair it with other recipes if you want. For lunch, pair it with a sandwich, and for dinner, it would be fantastic with a rotisserie chicken or with one of our favorite chicken recipes, such as Crispy Roast Chicken, Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken or Whole Roasted Harissa Chicken. And it’s sure to receive compliments when served to guests as part of a holiday meal, paired with turkey or roast beef.

EatingWell.com, October 2024

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

310	Calories
17g	Fat
39g	Carbs
5g	Protein

Additional reporting by

Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS

and

Linda Frahm

Reviews

What do you think of this recipe? Share your experience to help others.

Be the first to review!