Its true. Patrick was camping in Zion this past weekend when I made this salad Saturday and it was gone by Sunday. Because I craved this salad. And to be honest, I’m not a crave-salad type of person – crave-pasta, yes, crave salad – no – but this Roasted Butternut Squash Salad is different. It is a cravilicous salad loaded with all. the. goods. It is a rave-about salad. It is a need seconds, thirds, fourths salad. It is a beg-for-the-recipe salad. It is a repeat every Thanksgiving salad. It is the hero of Thanksgiving salad. AKA it is going to become one of your favorite salads! There are so many reasons this Roasted Butternut Squash Salad is otherworldly delicious, but let’s start with the Cranberry Vinaigrette. This might just be my favorite dressing ever. Or at least tied for it. It’s vibrant, sweet and tangy, zingy and zesty and made with real cranberries! It infuses the entire salad with bright, bold flavor but at the same time compliments and enhances rather than overwhelm the other ingredients. I first tried making this Cranberry Vinaigrette with cranberry juice instead of real cranberries and it was hugely lacking in flavor so real cranberries it was and trust me, you can taste the difference. To make this Cranberry Vinaigrette, first pulse your cranberries, garlic and a shallot until finely chopped then add Dijon, red wine vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and pulse until smooth. So basically, it takes 5 minutes to make this Thanksgiving worthy dressing. I like to make the Cranberry Vinaigrette at least an hour in advance so it has time to chill and the flavors to meld but you can make it at the beginning of salad prep if you are in a time crunch. You can also make the vinaigrette days in advance so it’s already to go when its Roasted Butternut Squash Salad time! Now let’s talk the other star of this salad – roasted butternut squash! I love Fall/winter for butternut squash alone. It’s hearty and naturally sweet and I would love every bite even if it wasn’t incidentally low in calories and packed with vitamins. For this Roasted Butternut Squash Salad, we toss our butternut squash with a splash of olive oil, pure maple syrup, salt, pepper and cayenne and roast until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Hello gorgeous dynamically flavorful squash. I could eat this roasted squash all in one sitting. But please, try and exercise your self control because trust me, it becomes exponentially even more delicious when combined with the rest of the goods. Another essential salad element are the 5 Minute Perfect Caramelized Pecans. We make these pecans while the butternut squash is roasting because they really only take 5 minutes. Their sweet caramelized crunch is the contrast in flavor and texture you crave in every bite. It’s the perfect compliment to the tangy dressing and subtly sour Granny smith apples, the earthy squash and the creamy goat cheese. Did someone say creamy goat cheese?! Oh heavens, why didn’t someone tell me about goat cheese crumbles before? I was all set to make goat cheese croutons when I stumbled upon way-easier crumbled goat cheese. Crumbled goat cheese typically come in 4 oz. containers located in the specialty cheeses section of your grocery store. Crumbled goat cheese looks like feta cheese but is waaaaaaaay creamier, less tangy and feels like you’re eating the most luxurious cheese on the planet. I am completely obsessed. Lastly, the dried cranberries/craisins add the final sweet element of perfection. Put all the goods together – roasted butternut squash, crunchy caramelized pecans, tart apples, tangy red onions, creamy goat cheese, fresh spring mix lettuce and drizzle them all with sweet and tangy Cranberry Vinaigrette and we have a bright, rich medley of flavor and textures that is so satisfyingly delicious you might be tempted to skip the turkey all together. To serve this Roasted Butternut Squash Salad, you can prep all the ingredients ahead of time except the apple and keep everything stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator – except the nuts of course, don’t need to be refrigerated. Come salad time, all you have to do is chop your apple and toss everything together. Now that’s Thanksgiving made easy! And more delicious than you could imagine. yet.
Looking for more Butternut Squash Recipes?
Butternut Squash RisottoCreamy Butternut Squash PastaRoasted Butternut Squash with CashewsSlow Cooker Thai Butternut Squash SoupSlow Cooker Thai Chicken, Wild Rice, Butternut Squash Soup RecipeRoasted Maple Dijon Brussels Spouts and Butternut Squash
Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes?
Cranberry Apple Shaved Brussels Sprouts SaladSlow Cooker Mashed PotatoesMaple Dijon Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut SquashDijon Maple Green Beans with Caramelized Pecans, Bacon and FetaCranberry Apple Pecan Wild Rice PilafSlow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Cranberry MeatballsCornbread Sausage Stuffing with Cranberries and Pecans
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