Autumn Butternut Squash Salad

Butternut squash salad is a vibrant and hearty dish that bursting with autumn flavors.

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Roasted butternut squash cubes are tossed with a mixture of spinach and endives, then drizzled with a fruity balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Topped with toasted pecans or shaved parmesan cheese, this is a deliciously comforting butternut squash salad that celebrates the flavors of fall.

This recipe was inspired by the salad I enjoyed at Carthay Circle in Disney’s California Adventure. This is my favorite time of year to visit the parks– right after Halloween once all the holiday decorations are up.

Nothing gets me more into the holiday spirit. Seeing all the decor, all the smiles and happiness around me, and all the friends and families together– brings back childhood memories full of wonder and fascination for life.

This salad is a wonderful representation of the transition from summer to autumn!

Salad Ingredients

The key ingredients of this autumn salad include: roasted butternut squash, spinach, endives, pecans, dried cranberries, and shaved parmesan cheese. The butternut squash salad is tossed together in a super easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Butternut squash is known for its sweet and nutty flavor. The winter squash has a round bulbous bottom and a long slender beck. It’s skin color ranges from yellow-orange to an almost beige-tan. Butternut squash is a truly versatile ingredient that works wonderfully in both sweet and savory recipes!

The leafy greens component of the salad is made up of a mixture of baby spinach and chopped endives. Spinach has a very mild flavor that pairs well with the other ingredients. Endives are also known as Belgian endives or chicory. They are known for their distinct bitter flavor. If you cannot find endives, substitute in your choice of radicchio, frisée, or escarole.

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

This is one of the easiest dressings to make. You simply add everything into a mason jar, cover it with a lid, dance and shake a little bit. And then voila- homemade balsamic vinaigrette!

You will need good quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh squeezed lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper, as well as your choice of sweetener. I prefer agave syrup. You may use maple syrup, honey, or plain sugar.

This autumn butternut squash salad showcases the rich and vibrant flavors of the season. Easily swap out fruits, nuts, and greens depending on the season’s harvest. Feel free to include sweet potatoes, kale, chopped apples or grapes.

More Butternut Squash Recipes

• Miso Butternut Squash Soup
• Butternut Squash Cupcakes
• Brown Butter Spaghetti with Roasted Butternut
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

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Autumn Butternut Squash Salad

By Maryanne Cabrera

Butternut squash salad is a vibrant and hearty dish that bursting with autumn flavors. Roasted butternut squash cubes are tossed with a mixture of spinach and endives, then drizzled with a fruity balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Topped with toasted pecans or shaved parmesan cheese, this is a deliciously comforting salad that celebrates the flavors of fall.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 12 oz butternut squash, (about 4 cups) cut into bite sized chunks
• ▢ 4 handfuls spinach
• ▢ 3 endives, (about 2 cups), chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ▢ ½ cup pecans, toasted, roughly chopped
• ▢ shaved parmesan cheese, as needed for garnish

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• ▢ ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons agave syrup
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

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Instructions 

Salad:

• Preheat oven to 400℉. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cut butternut squash on bakings sheet. Drizzle about 2 Tbsp of olive oil over squash, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine and coat.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes. Midway through baking toss squash to ensure even roasting. Once cooked, let cool slightly as you prepare remaining ingredients.
• In a large bowl, combine spinach, chopped endives, half of dried cranberries and half of pecans. Add cooked butternut squash. Add about 3 Tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Sample and add more vinaigrette according to taste. Before serving, add remaining cranberries and pecans. Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• Add all the ingredients into a mason jar. Cover with lid and shake until contents are mixed. Do not over mix.
  

Notes

• Endives are also known as Belgian endives or chicory. They are known for their distinct bitter flavor. 
• Optional substitutes in place of endives: radicchio, frisée, and escarole. 

Nutrition

Calories: 594kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 52g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 35g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 465mg, Potassium: 642mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 11925IU, Vitamin C: 31mg, Calcium: 170mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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