Roasted Squash Salad
This Winter Salad is a versatile, prep-ahead friendly (stress free!) showstopper for holidays, potlucks, and every dinner in between. It will have everyone coming back for seconds with its mesmerizing tango of roasted delicata squash, crunchy apples, caramelized nuts, tangy feta, juicy pomegranate seeds and ALL TIME readers' favorite Apple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette. Bonus, the squash is a breeze to prepare with its edible skin (no need to peel!), and can be sliced in seconds.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
WINTER SALAD
- 1 recipe roasted delicata squash
- 1 recipe caramelized nuts (I use pecans) <<click for recipe
- 8 ounces spring salad mix or mixed baby greens
- 1 sweet apple, thinly sliced
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds (may sub 1/2 cup dried cranberries)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta (or goat cheese or Gorgonzola)
- 1/2 cup roasted and salted pepitas (or sunflower seeds)
APPLE POPPY SEED DRESSING
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar to taste
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onions
Instructions
- Dressing: Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl. Chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the salad. (Dressing can be made and refrigerated up to 5 days in advance.) Once chilled, adjust to taste, if desired, by adding sugar/honey for sweeter or vinegar for tangier.
- Squash and Nuts: Prepare Delicata Squash according to recipe directions. While roasting, prepare caramelized nuts according to recipe directions.
- Assemble: Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl in the following order: greens, red onions, apples, squash, nuts, pepitas, pomegranates and cheese, adding more or less as desired.
- Serve: If serving the entire salad immediately, drizzle with desired amount of dressing. If there might be leftovers, dress individual servings.
Video
Notes
- Storage: After the salad is dressed, it is best served promptly because the greens will become soggy. If you hold the dressing, the salad can last up to three days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the freshest leftover (meal prep), store the ingredients in separate containers, then assemble salad fresh.
- Prep ahead salad: Place the lettuce in a large salad bowl. Seal the rest of the ingredients in separate bags (add a paper towel to moist ingredients) and place them on top of the lettuce. Cover the whole bowl with foil and refrigerate. The squash is better served at room temperature or reheat in a single layer at 350ºF until slightly warmed.
- Apple prep: The apples can be sliced up to 24 hours ahead and soaked in a mixture of apple juice and lemon juice or tossed in some of the vinaigrette.
- Nut prep: Can be made one week ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Dressing prep: Can be made up to 5 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.