Butternut Squash Salad
Delicious and colorful roasted butternut squash salad is filled with greens, beets, toasted pumpkin seeds and a crave-worthy creamy, dairy-free, balsamic dressing. It's hearty enough to be a meal on it's own, but it would also be a wonderful holiday side dish.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 203kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch of curly kale*
Butternut Squash + Beets
- 1 large butternut squash *
- 4 large red beets *
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried cumin
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
Pepitas
- ½ cup raw hulled pepitas pumpkin seeds.
- ½ teaspoon dried cumin
- ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
Dressing:
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Prepare two rimmed baking sheets. OPTIONAL: line with unbleached parchment paper for easier clean up.
- Prepare veggies for roasting. Cut ends of squash. Halve lengthwise, scoop out seeds and then use a vegetable peeler to take skin off. Cut lengthwise into ½" strips and then cut crosswise to create cubes. Place on one of the baking sheets. Trim ends off beets and then peel. Cut into ½" dice. Place on the other pan. Drizzle veggies with olive oil and then sprinkle with sage, cumin and salt.
- ROAST VEGGIES: Roast in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, until soft when pierced with a fork, but not mushy.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together all ingredients. Add additional water 1 Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat skillet over medium high heat and toast pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until beginning to brown, shaking pan often to prevent burning. As seeds begin to toast, they will release natural oils. Sprinkle with cumin and sea salt. Continue to shake pan or stir until fragrant and golden. Entire process will take 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
- Prepare Salad: If you’re using kale, rip into bite sized pieces. Massage with hands to bread down fibrous texture. Place in large bowl or serving platter. Add roasted veggies and toasted pepitas in proportions that suit you. Drizzle on dressing. Toss well.
- Refrigerate any extra squash or beets in an airtight container for up to a week. Use it on top of salads, in soups, grain bowls or breakfast scrambles. Extra pepitas can be stored at room temperature in a glass jar for up to 3 weeks. Dressing can be stored in fridge for 2 weeks.
Notes
BUTTERNUT SQUASH: 1 large squash will yield approximately 5 cups peeled and diced into ½" cubes. Mosts grocery stores also sell squash that is already peeled and cubed, if you want to cut down on prep time.
BEETS: 4 large beets will yield 2-3 cups peeled and diced. Beets will shrink considerably once cooked, so plan accordingly and err on the side of making more than you think you'll want in your salad.
GREENS: You can use any type of greens or a combo in this salad. I used curly kale. I think it holds up well to the heavier roasted veggies. Lacinato kale stacked and slice thin is another great option. Arugula or spinach will work well too, and are also less fibrous so you can skip the massaging.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 548mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g