You're going to love this hearty maple-roasted Butternut Squash Salad with feta cheese, juicy pomegranate, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and a chili lime vinaigrette. It's full of great flavors and textures.
Salads can be enjoyed any time of year, and this Butternut Squash Salad is no exception!
The roasted butternut squash is tossed with some crisp lettuce, crumbled feta cheese, juicy pomegranate seeds, and crunchy pumpkin seeds.
It's all topped off with a chili-lime vinaigrette for a delicious and hearty salad that everyone will enjoy!
Butternut squash is one of my favorite vegetables. It's so versatile and can be used in so many different dishes.
What is butternut squash? It's a winter squash that is typically oval in shape with a thick, tan-colored skin. The flesh is orange or yellow and is very smooth and creamy. It has a sweet flavor with a hint of nuttiness.
Not only is it delicious, but it's also good for you too!
Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and fiber. It's also low in calories and fat, making it a great addition to any healthy diet.
For this recipe, the butternut squash gets roasted in the oven along with maple syrup to enhance its flavor.
It then gets tossed with your favorite lettuce, salty feta cheese, and sweet and tart pomegranate seeds along with crunchy pumpkin seeds.
The salad gets topped with a homemade chili-lime dressing that adds a little bit of heat and acidity to balance out the sweetness of the squash.
This dressing is really easy to make and only requires a few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!
Be sure to also check out these other salad recipes, such as Tomato Onion Salad, Feta & Pesto CousCous Salad, Leek Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing, and Roasted Red Kuri Squash Salad.
They're all great topped with Air Fryer Croutons.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
The sweet flavor of butternut squash pairs perfectly with this hearty salad.
Even though it uses a winter squash, this salad is delicious any time of the year.
This vegetarian salad is perfect for a weeknight meal or as a side for a holiday dinner.
The dressing is simple to make and any extra can be used as a dressing or marinade in other recipes.
Ingredients
- Butternut Squash - You'll need to be peeled and cubed butternut squash for roasting. You can cut up your own or purchase it already prepped at your local grocery store.
- Oil - Helps the squash roast to become nice and tender on the inside.
- Maple Syrup - This warming sweetener enhances the overall flavor and sweetness of the butternut squash.
- Salt & Pepper - Properly seasons the squash to enhance its flavor.
For the salad:
- Mixed Lettuce - You can use a variety of your favorite lettuce as the greens portion in this salad.
- Feta Cheese - Adds a salty bite to the salad along with texture and flavor. You can also use vegan feta cheese.
- Pomegranate Seeds - Adds a contrasting sweet and tart flavor to the salad.
- Pumpkin Seeds - Adds nutty flavor and a crunchy texture.
Chili Lime Dressing
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Makes up the oil base of the dressing helping hold everything together.
- Lime Zest & Juice - Gives this dressing its pronounced lime flavor.
- Minced Garlic - Adds a bold garlic flavor to the dressing.
- Chili Powder - Adds a bit of heat and smoky flavor that pairs well with the salad.
- Kosher Salt - Enhances and balances the flavors in the dressing.
- Maple Syrup - Adds sweetness to the dressing. You can also use honey.
Please see the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Wondering how to make this Butternut Squash Salad recipe? It's easy! Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then, scroll down for the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.
Prepare for roasting: Preheat the oven to 400° F (200°C) and grab a sheet pan. Set aside.
Prepare the butternut squash: Wash the outside of the squash well. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the half squash on the cutting board with the cut side down (so it doesn’t roll) and cut into ½-inch cubes
Season and roast: Mix the oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then add the squash and use your hands to coat the slices well. Place the butternut slices onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and season with salt and pepper.
Roast: Roast for 10 minutes, then flip each piece over and roast for a further 5 minutes or until golden brown and tender on the inside.
Prepare the dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Set aside.
Assemble and serve: To serve, add the lettuce leaves in a pile on salad plates or in a serving dish. Layer the butternut squash on top. Sprinkle with the crumbled feta, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with as much dressing as desired.
Top tips
Butternut squash can be a tough vegetable to cut. Make sure you are using a very sharp knife to cut with. You can also use pre-cut butternut squash to save time.
If you want to make this salad ahead of time, roast the squash and prepare the dressing. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. Add the feta, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds just before serving.
When assembling the salad, you want to make sure the butternut squash isn't steaming hot as this will wilt the lettuce and melt the cheese. Allow it to cool slightly before adding everything together.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of Lentil Soup for a hearty lunch.
Drizzle with Chili Garlic Oil for a bold garlicky kick of heat.
Makes a great pairing for dinner along with Mushroom Wellington.
Toss in some cooled Turmeric Rice for additional texture and heartiness.
Variations
If you don't have pomegranate seeds, you can use dried cranberries or raisins.
For a bit more of a crunch, you can add chopped nuts to the salad such as pecans or walnuts.
If you want to make this salad into a main dish, you can add grilled tofu, tempeh, or add chickpeas, broad beans, or white beans.
Instead of butternut squash, try other sweet winter squash such as kabocha, acorn, or delicata. You can even use roasted sweet potato!
Other dressing ideas include balsamic vinaigrette, tahini dressing, or a simple lemon vinaigrette.
Storage
This salad is best served immediately. However, the ingredients can be separated and added to an airtight container for up to 5 days. Assemble before serving. The dressing can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to one week.
Freezing is not recommended.
FAQs
Butternut squash is considered a low-sugar vegetable. One cup of butternut squash has about 3 grams of sugar.
If you are looking for a vegan option, you can use tofu feta or omit it altogether. Other cheese options include goat cheese, blue cheese, or cheddar cheese.
Butternut squash is considered a starchy vegetable. It is higher in carbohydrates than other vegetables but it also contains fiber and vitamins.
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Cutting board
- Knife
Ingredients
For the squash:
- 2 cups butternut squash cubes (peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-sized cubes) 400g
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
For the salad:
- 6 ounces lettuce mixed leaves 170g
- 2 tablespoons feta cheese crumbled or vegan feta
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
Chili Lime Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime jui9ce
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (mild or hot)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup (or honey)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F (200°C).
- Wash the outside of the squash well. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out and discard the seeds.
- Place the half squash on the cutting board with the cut side down (so it doesn’t roll) and cut into ½-inch cubes
- Mix the oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then add the squash and use your hands to coat the slices well. Place the butternut slices onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and season with the salt and pepper.
- Place into the oven and roast for 10 minutes, then flip each piece over and roast for a further 5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, for the dressing, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Set aside.
- To serve, pile the plates or a serving dish with the lettuce and top with the roasted squash.
- Sprinkle with the crumbled feta, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
- Drizzle with as much dressing as desired.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Natalie
What a great summer treat this squash salad is! I added some walnuts as you suggested and it was great, thanks!
Mireille
This was delicious and super easy to make....I love the fact that I can make it all year round.
Claire
Wow I loved this salad, the butternut squash was so nice and sweet and I especially liked the chili-lime vinaigrette which added just the right amount of spice and acidity. Will be making this again!
Ava
I saw this on instagram and it totally made me drool! I had all the ingredients (except pomegranate so left that out) and it was incredible! LOVED the dressing.