This Roasted Butternut Squash Salad recipe is irresistibly delicious, nutritious, and easy to make! Featuring maple roasted butternut squash with apples, cranberries, arugula, parmesan, and an amazing apple cider vinaigrette, this fall roast squash salad is perfect for lunches, light dinners and holiday parties. Best of all, you’ll only need 10 simple ingredients and 15 minutes of hands-on preparation to make it!
Update: This post was originally published in October 2018. I made edits to the post below to include more information about butternut squash in salads. Plus, there’s now a recipe video showing you exactly how easy this holiday harvest salad with squash is to make at home!
Hi, friends! Happy October! I’m not sure about you, but I am super excited the fall season is officially underway. Bring on all the cozy sweaters, furry blankets, soft scarves, and cute boots! With all that said, it feels only right to commemorate the autumn season. So, today we are making a stellar roast squash salad to celebrate fall’s bounty.
About this recipe for butternut squash salad
You guys, this quinoa packed salad is rocking all the healthy, fall vibes!
Peppery arugula mixed with nutty quinoa and topped with tart slices of Granny Smith apples, sweet and slightly spicy maple roasted butternut squash, crunch walnuts and salty parmesan. Generously drizzled with a silky, luscious, tangy and slightly sweet apple cider dressing, this squash salad is packed with both texture and flavor!
This autumn squash salad is easy to make and fantastic as a light meal, or it’s absolutely perfect for holiday entertaining. (I’m looking at you Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah (Hanukkah) and Kwanzaa. Shoot, we could even throw in New Year’s Eve for good measure.)!
Basically, this healthy, hearty salad with squash is perfect for any and every occasion!
Why you’ll love this salad recipe
Aside from being downright delicious, this salad recipe is also:
- Made With 10 Ingredients – Just 10 basic ingredients, plus a few pantry staples, to create delicious, bold flavors.
- Quick & Easy – This salad with squash only requires 15 minutes of hands-on preparation.
- Wholesome & Nutritious – Leafy green salads can get boring. This flavorful, warm butternut squash and arugula salad is a welcome, healthy flavor-bomb.
- Meal-Prep Friendly – Get a jump on the brown bag lunch preparations. Pre-roast the squash, cook the grains, and mix the dressing ahead of time. When you’re ready to eat, simply toss the salad together and enjoy.
Ingredients for butternut salad
This roast squash salad requires simple-to-find ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butternut Squash – To keep prep-time to a minimum, use pre-cut squash from the refrigerated produce section.
- Substitutions: You can swap in pretty much any winter squash with an orange-flesh. Also, sweet potatoes work wonderful here!
- Olive Oil – Just your normal cooking oil will work great.
- Substitutions: Feel free to swap in any other heart-healthy oil, like avocado or sunflower seed oil.
- Maple Syrup – Use pure maple syrup; none of that artificial pancake stuff!
- Pantry Seasonings – A combination of dry thyme, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and ground black pepper all provide flavor.
- Dried Cranberries – Sweet, tart, and perfectly chewy.
- Substitution: You can also use chopped dried cherries.
- Arugula – Baby arugula lettuce has a slightly bitter taste that beautifully complements the sweet squash in this salad recipe.
- Substitution: Swap in an equally bold lettuce, such as watercress or even mixed baby greens. Alternatively, baby spinach and butter lettuce will also work here.
- Quinoa – Cooked quinoa lends nutty flavor and essential nutrients.
- Substitution: You can swap out the quinoa and opt for your favorite grains instead. However, you’ll need make sure you cook them until just al-dente before using in your salad. White rice is your easiest substitute; however, brown rice, barley, and farro is a better substitute from a nutrition and flavor perspective.
- Apple – A fresh apple provides a touch of fruity, refreshing flavor and gorgeous crisp texture. Sour and tart Granny Smith Apples pair best with the sweeter butternut squash in this salad.
- Substitution: Feel free to use whatever tart snacking apple variety you love best. For the closest flavor match, I recommend Crispin, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Braeburn
- Walnuts – A handful of roasted walnuts provides crunchy flavor, as well as a dose of protein and healthy fats.
- Substitution: Your favorite nut variety will work here. Pecans, pine nuts, almonds, pistachios and cashews are typically the best nuts for salads.
- Parmesan Cheese – A generous dusting of this salty, nutty cheese adds just the right amount of richness.
- Substitutions: Use any hard, aged cheese, like pecorino, romano, or asiago can be instead.
Squash salad dressing
This apple cider vinaigrette is *the* best fall dressing. You can get creative with the seasonings or make it as is. Regardless, this dressing is delicious on many harvest salads.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – ACV is the star of the show.
- Shallot – Shallots offer a milder allium complexity than regular onions.
- Substitution: Scallions, yellow onion, white onion and red onion work well as a substitute for shallots.
- Dijon Mustard – Mustard acts as an emulsifier and thickens up the dressing.
- Substitution: If you’re fresh out of this mustard, feel free to use either an equivalent amount of stone ground mustard or swap in more yellow mustard.
- Lemon Juice – Totally optional; however, lemon juice will brighten up the flavors.
Salad variations
I love customizing the base of this squash salad with whatever leftover veggies and proteins I have laying around my fridge. Here’s a few variations to inspire:
- Nut-free: Simply nix the walnuts to keep this salad nut free.
- Hearty Vegetarian: Toss in toasted pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds, and crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese for the ultimate fall vegetarian salad.
- Vegan: Swap out the maple syrup and parmesan for your favorite vegan alternatives.
Customizing squash salads
This salad with roasted butternut squash and apples is easy to customize! Mix and match your favorite ingredients to create a winter salad that’s perfect for YOU and YOUR family!
- Dried Fruit – cranberries, craisins, apricots, currants
- Nuts – walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios
- Seeds – pepitas, pomegranate arils
- Cheese – parmesan, feta, goat, gouda
- Greens – arugula, baby spinach, kale, mixed greens, spring mix
- Grains – quinoa, wild rice, farro
- Fruit -apples, fresh figs, pears
- More vegetables – brussels sprouts, beets, sweet potatoes
FAQs: Butternut squash for salads
What is the easiest way to peel and cut butternut squash?
Whole butternut squash can be a real pain to peel. To make butternut squash super easy to peel try this trick – microwave it! Microwaving the fresh, whole squash softens the skin, making it a cinch to peel!
How to easily peel winter squash for salad
- Slice off both ends (top and bottom) of the squash using a sharp chef’s knife.
- Use a fork to pierce shallow holes all around the squash.
- Microwave the squash for 1 to 2 minutes (depending on the strength of your microwave). You don’t want to actually cook the squash, you just want to soften the skin.
- Allow squash to cool and then proceed to peel it.
Now that you have a beautifully peeled butternut squash, all that is left to do is cut it! With a sharp chef’s knife and a little know-how, cutting or cubing squash is easy.
How to cube butternut squash for salads?
- Cut the squash in half. Since you already sliced off the ends of the squash before peeling, simply stand the squash upright on a cutting board and make one long cut down the middle of the squash, from top to bottom. If the squash is hard to cut, use a mallet to gently tap the ends of the knife to aid the knife down through the squash.
- Scrape out the seeds from the squash. Use a large metal spoon to scrape the seeds and pulp from the squash cavity. You can either discard the seeds or save them for roasting later!
- Cut the squash halves into slices of desired thickness (depending on what type of dice you want – small, medium or large). Lay the squash halves cut side down on a clean cutting board. Separate the bulb part of the squash from the neck by slicing horizontally across each half. Next, cut the squash into slices, lengthwise. If you are cubing, lay the slices down and make another lengthwise cut so squash is to your desired thickness.
- Slice crosswise into cubes. Finally, make one last slice, crosswise, into cubes.
How to roast butternut squash pieces?
Roasting is not only an easy method for cooking butternut squash, but it’s also a delicious way to bring out the natural sweetness of the squash! To roast butternut squash all you need is high heat, good olive oil and whatever fresh herbs or seasoning you prefer.
To roast butternut squash for salad
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Toss squash with good quality olive oil, kosher salt, pepper and any other desired seasonings or fresh herbs.
- Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until fork tender, tossing halfway through cooking.
- Use the roast squash in salads, or snack on it straight from the sheet pan.
How to make this salad with butternut squash?
This recipe for salad with butternut squash is incredibly easy and straight-forward to make! This fall salad recipe only requires 15 minutes of prep and 4 simple steps. Here’s how this squash salad is done:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roast the squash: On a large baking sheet, toss together the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil, maple, thyme, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast for 22-25 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking. Scatter the cranberries onto the pan and continue to roast for 5 minutes, or until squash is tender and lightly caramelized.
- While the squash is roasting, make the dressing: In a bowl whisk the vinegar, minced shallots, maple syrup, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad: In a large salad bowl, add the squash with cranberries, arugula, quinoa, apple slices, walnuts, grated parmesan and remaining diced shallots. Gently toss to combine. Drizzle with the dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Tips for the best roast squash salad
- To cut down on prep time, use packaged, peeled and diced butternut squash. Prepared butternut squash can be found in the refrigerated produce section of most major grocery stores. Alternatively, you can peel and dice the squash a few days in advance. Store cut squash cubes in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- You can roast the squash a day in advance and then reheat it when ready to serve. To make the squash in advance, follow the directions in the recipe, making sure to roast the squash until just slightly al dente, about 18-20 minutes. When ready to serve, roast the squash for 12-15 minutes, or until fork tender and heated through, adding the cranberries to the pan during the last 5 minutes.
- Use any grain! I typically use a tri-color blend quinoa to make this squash salad. However, you can use your favorite variety of quinoa (white, red, or black) or swap it out entirely for another grain. Farro, brown rice and wild rice are excellent substitutions.
- To cut down on prep, cook your grains in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- You can use any variety of apples you love in this salad. However, green apples pair best with butternut squash. Specifically, tart Granny Smith apples lend the best flavor to squash.
Step-by-step photos: Making butternut salad at home
Serving salad with butternut squash
You can serve this roasted squash salad warm, room temperature or cold. Also, you can serve it as a hearty side dish or a lighter vegetarian entree.
- As a side dish. You can serve this tasty squash salad as a side to meat, seafood or vegetables. This salad is especially perfect for your holiday table!
- As a main dish. Sweet and savory squash salad makes a delicious vegetarian main course. It’s perfect to meal prep and have on hand for packable lunches!
What to serve with fall squash salad?
This roasted squash salad is hearty, yet healthy and packed with sweet, savory and tart flavors! This salad with squash is substantial enough to serve as a light, main meal. However, it also compliments a wide variety of dishes. I love to serve this roasted butternut squash salad with the following dishes:
Entrees to pair with winter squash salad recipes
- Roasted Turkey or Chicken
- Steak
- Pork Tenderloin
- Standing Rib Roast
- Ham
- Pizza
Side dishes that pair well with roasted butternut salad
- Soup
- Crusty Artisan Bread or Homemade Rolls
- Brussels Sprout Gratin
- Vegetable Casseroles or Bakes
- Steamed or Roasted Vegetables
- Stuffing or Dressing
Storing salads with butternut squash
Can you roast butternut squash in salad ahead of time?
Yes! If you are looking to really save time when entertaining, or or you want to meal prep at the beginning of the week, you can roast the butternut squash ahead of time.
To make roasted butternut squash ahead of time, make sure you roast the squash until just slightly al dente, about 18-20 minutes. When ready to serve, roast the squash for 12-15 minutes, or until fork tender and heated through.
Pro-tip: If you want to serve the squash salad warm or room temperature, follow the above directions for preparing the squash in advance. If you want to serve butternut squash salad cold, roast the squash and dried cranberries according to the recipe instructions below. Then, store the squash and cranberries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How long will roasted butternut squash salad keep?
Leftover roasted squash salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, salad will keep for up to 3-5 days.
Healthy, yet hearty and perfect for celebrating autumn, this Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Salad belongs on your table!
Until next week, friends, cheers! To fall’s bounty!
Cheyanne
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More fall salad recipes!
More recipes for butternut squash!
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut Squash Flatbread Pizza
- Pasta with Butternut Squash
- Creamy Butternut Squash Mash
- Squash Risotto
The best Roasted Butternut Squash Salad recipe 👇
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet (for roasting the butternut squash)
- 1 Small mixing bowl (for making the dressing)
- 1 Whisk (for whisking the dressing)
Ingredients
- 1 (1 ½ pound) Butternut Squash – peeled and ¾’’ diced (about 5 cups) (SEE NOTES)
- 2 TBS Olive Oil
- 4 TBS Pure Maple Syrup - DIVIDED
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- Kosher Salt & Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
- 5 ounces Baby Arugula – washed and spun dry
- 3 Cups Cooked Quinoa (equivalent of 1 cup dry quinoa) (SEE NOTES)
- 1 whole Green Apple – cored & thinly sliced or diced (I used Granny Smith) (SEE NOTES)
- ½ Cup Walnuts – chopped and toasted
- 1/2 - ¾ Cup Parmesan – freshly grated, to taste
Dressing:
- ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 small Shallot – finely diced, DIVIDED
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- ½ tsp Fresh Thyme - minced
- ½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Optional Additions: Pumpkin Seeds, Pomegranate Seeds (Arils), Goat Cheese or Crumbled Feta Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Season the squash: Place squash cubes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle the squash with olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup, thyme, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Toss to coat.
- Roast squash: Place in the oven and roast for 22-25 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking.
- Add cranberries, roast again: Scatter the cranberries onto the pan and continue to roast for 5 minutes, or until squash is tender and lightly caramelized. Remove from oven and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- While the squash is roasting, make the dressing: In a bowl whisk the vinegar, 1 tablespoon shallots, 2 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup, mustard, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking to emulsify. ALTERNATIVELY: Add the dressing ingredients to a jar, seal jar and shake vigorously to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad: In a large salad bowl, add the arugula and enough dressing to coat the lettuce. Toss. Add the quinoa, apple slices, walnuts, parmesan and remaining diced shallots. Toss again to combine. Add the roasted squash with cranberries and dressing to taste. Very gently toss to combine.
- Serve: Garnish the butternut salad as you see fit and serve warm or at room temperature with any remaining dressing on the side. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Butternut squash: To keep the prep time to 15 minutes, I recommend using a package of peeled and pre-cubed squash - you can typically find these in the refrigerated produce section of your grocery store. However, using a whole squash then peeling and cubing it yourself will save money. If using whole squash, I recommend you microwave it for easy peeling. Here's how it's done:
-
- Slice off both ends (top and bottom) of the squash using a sharp chef's knife.
- Use a fork to pierce shallow holes all around the squash.
- Microwave the squash for 1 to 2 minutes (depending on the strength of your microwave). You don't want to actually cook the squash, you just want to soften the skin.
- Allow squash to cool and then proceed to peel it.
- Quinoa: I use a tri-color blend, but you can use your favorite variety of quinoa - white, red, or black. Or, swap out the quinoa for your favorite grain, such as farro, brown rice or wild rice. To cut down on prep time, cook the grains in advance and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (See below for tips on cooking perfect quinoa!)
- Apples: While you can use any variety of apple in this salad, green apples pair best with butternut squash. And, specifically tart Granny Smith apples add the best layer of flavor!
- Roasting squash: When roasting the squash cubes, make sure you do not overcrowd the pan or the squash will steam instead of roast. If necessary, use two baking sheets and rotate the pans from top to bottom halfway through roasting.
- Butternut Squash: You can peel and dice the squash a few days in advance. Store cubed squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- You can roast the squash a day in advance and then reheat it when ready to serve. To make the squash in advance, follow the directions in the recipe, making sure to roast the squash until just slightly al dente, about 18-20 minutes. When ready to serve, roast the squash for 12-15 minutes, or until fork tender and heated through, adding the cranberries to the pan during the last 5 minutes.
- The dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance.
- Rinse 1 cup of dry quinoa in a fine mesh strainer with cool water and drain well.
- Transfer quinoa to a saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook quinoa, stirring occasionally, until all of the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes, reducing heat as necessary.
- Remove pan from heat and cover. Let the quinoa steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove lid, fluff and season generously with salt and pepper. Proceed with recipe.
Nutrition
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Hi! I am making this salad in 2 days. I am out of quinoa, so I plan to use farro. Are there are adjustments I need to make on the amount of farro or dressing measurements? Thanks so much!
Hi Liz,
Great question! While I have never made this salad with farro, I don’t see why you can’t use it as a straight substitution – as long as you use 3 cups of cooked farro. Since farro has a much more muted flavor, you may want to double the dressing and use it to taste if you need to add more. I hope that answers your question! I’d love to hear how the salad turns out with the farro! And, please let me know if you have any additional questions – I’m always happy to help! Cheers!
This looks delicious, I love butternut squash, and the salad looks great to have with a relaxed Sunday lunch!
Great salad to compliment the fall flavors, so many different textures too! Love it!
PLUS, I love that you are a shallot user! I may not be a big quinoa fan, but this may make think again Chey. 😉
This is the ultimate fall salad, Cheyanne! I love how you can make every bite different. This looks like lunch for Keith and I next week – thank you!!
You know this was one of my favorites the first you posted it Chey! So much flavor and all the ingredients I really enjoy in a fall salad! And that added quinoa for extra heartiness! I’m in again! Pinned!
If this isn’t fall in a bowl I don’t know what is! I’ve been going crazy with butternut lately so I’m alllll over this. It sounds incredible! (PS, how the heck are we talking 2020 now? WHERE IS TIME GOING?)
Yum! This recipe looks so good, Cheyanne! Perfect for fall! I love the idea of butternut squash and cranberries so delicious together! Thank you for my dinner recipe tonight!
Kendra
I love everything about this salad, Cheyanne – I could eat this everyday. So perfect for the cooler fall weather – it looks so healthy and sooo good. I love adding apples into salads – they really add a great crunch factor and a hint of sweetness. This has just the right amount of flavor, texture and crunch! Pinning!
We’re on the same wavelength — I’m working on a recipe something similar to this! This salad is something I could truly eat every day in the fall. All the colors, flavors and textures make it fall in a bowl! Beautiful job Cheyanne!
What a perfect fall meal with layers of textures and so many flavours!
I really think blogging makes time move faster since we’re always thinking ahead in terms of seasonal food. . .that’s my theory anyway because for the life of me I don’t know how we’re in October either. But as long as we’re here we may as well enjoy it and this salad is perfect for fall. Butternut and apple AND CRANBERRIES? I’m in! Happy Friday eve, Chey!
I have two big butternut squash just waiting for a dinner destination! This looks like a fabulous way to use it 🙂
Far from boring or bland! And it looks like a work of art too Chey! I love the fall because of salad like this! I’m not one for eating just greens. I need MORE! And this definitely has the more I like! Delicious. Can’t wait to give it a try! Happy weekend!
I can explain how the heck we got here. It’s called getting older. With aging, time starts passing by much faster. I know, a sad fact but you asked – I answered. Let’s better get focused on this delicious salad, Chey! You managed to use almost all my favorite fall ingredients; that’s a quintessence of autumn in a salad. Love the addition of maple syrup too. Great job!