Fantastic Butternut Squash Salad with Apple and Goat Cheese
This tasty butternut squash salad has juicy apple, creamy goat cheese, candied nuts, and a delightful apple dressing.
Ingredients
Salad
- 8 Cups Mixed Baby Greens * Not packed = about 4 ounces
- 1 Apple, chopped into small wedges * Honey crisp, gala, or your favorite
- ½ Cup Goat Cheese, crumbled * About 2 ounces * Use vegan goat style cheese or remove cheese for dairy free
- ⅓ Cup Candied Pecans
- ¼ Cup Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 2 Cups Butternut Squash, cubed * Cut into 1/2 inch - 3/4 inch cubes
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil * Butter is also an option
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp Nutmeg
- ¾ tsp Brown Sugar
- Pinch Salt
Salad Dressing
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ Cup Apple Cider * Apple Juice works too
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Ginger
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- While the oven is preheating, add 2 cups of cubed squash, 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp of nutmeg, 3/4 tsp brown sugar and a pinch of salt to a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients together until the squash is evenly coated with the ingredients.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and add the squash mixture to the baking sheet spreading it out into a single layer.
- Place the squash in the oven and bake for around 18 – 22 minutes or until a fork can easily pierce the squash, while it still maintains its structure. The baking time depends on the thickness of the cubes and your oven.
- While the squash is baking, make the dressing. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil, 2 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar, 4 Tbsp of apple cider or juice, 2 Tbsp of honey, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp of pepper to a bowl and whisk the ingredients until well combined.
- Remove the squash from the oven when it is finished baking and let cool while making the rest of the salad. *** Optional – If you’d like your squash served chilled, add the squash to a plate or bowl when baking is complete and place it in the refrigerator for 30+minutes or until it has cooled to your preference.
- Add 8 cups (4 oz) of mixed baby greens to a large serving bowl and top with the wedges of 1 small apple, the 2 cups of baked butternut squash, 1/2 cup (2 oz) of goat cheese, 1/3 cup candied pecans, and ¼ cup of pumpkin seeds.
- Serve the salad with the dressing on the side and enjoy!
Notes
* This recipe makes eight side salads at 220 calories each or four larger meal salads at 440 calories each.
* Prep time may be longer id you decide to chill the squash