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Butternut Squash and Bacon Salad with Maple-Rosemary Vinaigrette
5 from 33 votes

Butternut Squash and Bacon Salad with Maple-Rosemary Vinaigrette

This salad blends roasted butternut squash, crisp bacon, toasted walnuts, red onions, greens, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta cheese. A warm maple-rosemary vinaigrette with Dijon mustard, garlic, and apple cider vinegar adds a sweet-herbaceous finish. The combination offers a mix of textures and flavors, balancing sweetness, savoriness, and crunch in a fresh salad.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 6
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 12 oz. (4 cups) butternut squash peeled and cubed
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp thyme or 1/2 tsp dried, fresh
  • salt freshly ground
  • black pepper freshly ground
  • 6 lices (6 oz) Bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 1/2 cup walnut toasted, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red onion rinse under water to remove harsh bite, thinly sliced
  • 3 oz feta cheese crumbled, or goat cheese
  • 5 oz kale blend of baby kale and spinach or blend of arugula and spinach
  • 5 oz spinach
  • 5 oz arugula
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Vinaigrette
  • 3 Tbsp maple syrup real
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 1/2 tsp rosemary crushed, minced fresh or 3/4 tsp dried
  • salt freshly ground
  • black pepper freshly ground
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. For the vinaigrette: In a small saucepan whisk together maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic and rosemary.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then allow to boil, stirring frequently, 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in olive oil and season with salt and pepper (about a scant 1/4 tsp of each).
  3. For the salad: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed baking sheet lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Place squash in a mound on baking sheet.
  4. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with thyme and season lightly with salt and pepper then toss to evenly coat.
  5. Spread into an even layer and roast in preheated oven 15 - 20 minutes, tossing once after 10 minutes, until tender.
  6. To a salad bowl add lettuce blend, squash, bacon, walnuts, red onion, feta and cranberries. Gently toss salad.
  7. Whisk dressing then drizzle over salad and lightly toss. Serve immediately after adding vinaigrette.

Notes

  • Pre-cut butternut squash from the store can be used to save time without compromising the salad's quality.