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Butternut Squash Salad – with beets


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5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Amy Estes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

This is the BEST Butternut Squash Salad. Spicy arugula, roasted beets, and butternut squash mixed with crunchy walnuts, and creamy goat cheese. All drizzled with an incredible Orange Vinaigrette dressing! Simple lunch recipe, dinner salad or quick pick me up for those cold winter days.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 cups beets – peeled and cubed (about 23 beets)
  • 23 cups butternut squash – peeled and cubed 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil – divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 6 cups arugula
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

For the dressing

  • 1/4 cup orange juice (or the juice of a large orange)
  • 2 tablepsons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablepsoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablepsoon dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

Roast the beets and squash

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 ° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. 
  2. Place the cubed butternut squash onto the baking sheet in an even layer, leaving some room for the beets. Then add the beets to the pan with the squash. Drizzle the beets and squash with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and some salt and pepper and toss to coat. 
  3. Then roast the beets and squash in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, turning the beets and squash over halfway through. Watch the beets since they may not take as long as the squash to cook. Remove and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Note: I cut mine all the same size so they cook within the same amount of time. 

Make the dressing

  1. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk well to emulsify. You can also add all of the ingredients to a mason jar fitted with a lid and shake well. 

Assemble the salad

  1. Arrange the salad ingredients – arugula, squash, beets, goat cheese, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds in a large bowl. 
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. 
  3. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  1. Cut the squash and beets in even size cubes so they cook evenly. If you are not sure how to peel and cut the butternut squash then you can check out this roasted butternut squash that explains how to do it.
  2. You can use arugula, spinach, or even kale in the salad to switch up the greens.
  3. Feta cheese or a soft vegan cheese are good substitutes for the goat cheese in this recipe.
  4. You can roast the squash and beets a day or two ahead to save time.
  5. This salad stores great in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure to store the dressing separately and dress it when ready to eat. 
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Roasted
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean