I love a good fall salad, don't you? This one is less a recipe and more a suggestion for how to throw together something yummy. I like to roast a lot of butternut squash at once and keep it in the fridge ready to go whenever the mood strikes. Sometimes I even eat the roasted butternut squash cold right out of the fridge. Shhh...
This makes a good side dish or even a main course if you're not feeling too hungry.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Goat Cheese and Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
(Adapted from Cravings: Hungry for More and NY Times Cooking Section)
For the squash:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from about a 2 1/4-pound whole squash)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
For the vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For the salad:
- 5 cups baby spinach (or any other salad green)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (or any other dried or fresh fruit)
- 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled (or any other soft cheese will do)
- 1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds (or any kind of chopped nuts will do)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (or don't if you're like me).
- In a large bowl, toss together the squash, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne. Distribute evenly onto the prepared baking sheet and roast until bottoms are golden, 10-15 minutes. Carefully flip the pieces over (this is where I find not lining with foil makes things easier) and roast until tender, about 10-15 minutes more. Let cool.
- In a screw-top jar, combine the salad dressing ingredients and shake vigorously until it's well-combined and creamy.
- Arrange the arugula on a platter. Top with the roasted squash, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and sunflower seeds. Drizzle with the dressing to taste (or serve and allow everyone to add their desired amount of dressing).
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