Delicata Squash Salad
This Delicata Squash Salad recipe will become your new favorite fall salad! It's healthy, flavorful, and easy to make in 30 minutes. The base of the salad is made up of spinach and kale, tossed with avocado vinaigrette dressing. It's topped with roasted delicata squash, dried cranberries, apples and candied pecans for a delicious combination of sweet and savory flavors, and tender and crunchy textures!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds delicata squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups kale
- 3 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup apples, diced
- ¼ cup candied pecans, chopped (click the link for my homemade recipe)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup goat cheese, crumbled
Avocado Vinaigrette Dressing
- ½ medium avocado, skin and pit removed
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Slice the ends off of the squash, then slice the squash in half lengthwise through the middle, from root to tip.
- Use a fork to scoop out the seeds from the middle of the squash.
- Slice the squash into ½ inch thick strips.
- Place the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, then season with the rosemary, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
- Toss until the squash is fully covered in the seasoning, then spread the squash out in an even layer on the baking sheet.
- Place the seasoned squash in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, prepare the salad dressing by adding the avocado, white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a blender, blend on low until smooth, drizzle the olive oil in the blender while on low. Continue blending until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Remove the thick stems from the kale, chop it up and add it to a large bowl.
- Combine the chopped kale and spinach leaves in a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette dressing and toss until it’s fully coated.
- Remove the delicata squash from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes, then place on top of the salad with the apples, pecans, cranberries and goat cheese.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Apples – when adding diced apples to a salad, you’ll want crispy apples that don’t brown too quickly, like honeycrisp, fuji or pink lady. For this recipe, I used pink lady apples. They add a great crunch and tart flavor to this salad.
- To make this recipe vegan, omit the goat cheese. Candied pecans or glazed pecans are traditionally made with egg white or butter. So be sure to check the ingredients if adding them to the salad. You might have to make a vegan version yourself, or just add plain pecans.
- This salad is naturally gluten free, using the ingredients shown above.
- This recipe serves 2 as a meal, or 4-6 people as a side dish. If you’d like to double this recipe to serve 10-12 people at a holiday meal, simply click the 2X button above. The ingredient amounts will automatically update for the new serving size.
- You can cook the delicata squash in an air fryer. After tossing the sliced squash with olive oil and the spices, arrange the squash in a single layer in an air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 10 minutes, tossing halfway through the cooking time. With 1 1/2 pounds of squash, you might have to do this in two batches.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 456kcal (23%)Carbohydrates 33g (11%)Protein 10g (20%)Fat 34g (52%)Saturated Fat 8g (40%)Polyunsaturated Fat 4gMonounsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 13mg (4%)Sodium 624mg (26%)Potassium 1067mg (30%)Fiber 8g (32%)Sugar 16g (18%)Vitamin A 9797mg (196%)Vitamin C 80mg (97%)Calcium 254mg (25%)Iron 3mg (17%)
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