This roasted pumpkin salad is layers of tender baby spinach leaves, sweet roasted squash, creamy goat cheese, and crisp apples all drizzled with a homemade pumpkin dressing. It makes a healthy fall side dish or light lunch, and it's ready in just 40 minutes!
Ingredients
The Salad
½butternut or kabocha squash, about 1 lb, peeled, seeded, and cut into cubes
1teaspoonolive oil
½teaspoonsea salt
1pinchEACH: cinnamon and cayenne
10ouncesbaby spinach, or spinach/ arugula mix
2ouncesgoat cheese, crumbled
⅓cupEACH: pumpkin seeds and fried onions, see notes
Set your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut squash on the baking sheet, add the olive oil, sea salt, cinnamon, and cayenne and toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, turning halfway, until the squash is soft and starting to brown in some places. Remove from the oven and let it cool before using it in the salad. TIP: Roast the whole squash and make this salad for a few meals.
½ butternut or kabocha squash, 1 teaspoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 pinch EACH: cinnamon and cayenne
While the squash is roasting, combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend on high until it is smooth and creamy about 30 seconds.
¾ cup canned pumpkin, ⅔ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 clove garlic, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Pile the spinach, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, fried onions, and apple slices into a salad bowl. Top with the cooled roasted squash and some of the dressing. Toss and serve right away.
10 ounces baby spinach, 2 ounces goat cheese, ⅓ cup EACH: pumpkin seeds and fried onions, 1 apple
Notes
Do not try and simply whisk the dressing ingredients as the texture doesn't turn out right without using a blender.This recipe makes enough salad dressing for three salads. Leftovers will keep in your fridge for at least a week.