Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Roasted butternut squash, sweet pears, tart dried cranberries, sharp feta and a fresh Apple Cider Vinaigrette marry together to create simple, healthy salad that is filled with robust flavors.
Toss squash in oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, or until browned and fork-tender. Allow the squash to cool slightly before adding the greens.
Mix together the apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, pepper together. Slowly whisk in olive oil.
If your nuts are not already toasted, place them into a dry skillet over medium heat. Heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing occasionally. Turn off the heat as soon as you begin to smell the nuts.
Mix the greens with ¼ cup of the salad dressing. Top the greens with the Roasted Butternut Squash, pears, cranberries, and walnuts if using. Toss lightly. Serve with additional dressing on the side.
Notes
This salad is best served immediately after assembling.
To prepare in advance, roast the squash, wash the greens, and prepare the dressing up to 3 days in advance and store in separate containers in the refrigerator. Right before serving, dice the pears, toss the greens with a small amount of the dressing, and then sprinkle the salad with the dried cranberries, roasted squash, feta, and nuts. Serve the remaining dressing on the side for people to use as desired.
In place of feta, you can use goat cheese or sharp cheddar cheese. Or leave the cheese out altogether for a dairy-free salad.
To make the Apple Cider Dressing vegan, substitute maple syrup for honey.
The walnuts add a nice crunch to the salad, but omit for nut allergies, or use candied nuts or honey-roasted peanuts.