Dandelion Salad with Avocado Caesar Dressing
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
45 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
287 kcal
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Course
Salad
Dandelion Salad with Avocado Caesar Dressing
Description
The Dandelion Salad with Avocado Caesar Dressing recipe starts with preparing the salad components including dandelion greens, cucumbers, and roasted butternut squash cubes seasoned with spices like smoked paprika, garlic, cumin, and oregano. The leftover seeds are toasted separately to add a crunchy, flavorful garnish.
The avocado Caesar dressing blends anchovy fillets, green onions, extra virgin olive oil, ripe avocado, lime juice, fresh basil leaves, garlic, maple syrup, water, salt, and black pepper. This combination provides a creamy, tangy dressing with umami and herbaceous notes that complements the bitter salad greens.
Serving this salad offers a combination of textures and layers of flavors from earthy and bitter greens to sweet and savory roasted squash and creamy dressing. The recipe suggests substitutions for herbs and anchovies, offering flexibility depending on availability.
Roasting the squash and seeds separately ensures both components achieve the ideal tenderness and crunchiness, improving the salad’s overall texture profile.
Ingredients
- 2 Dandelion greens stems removed, and cut into 1-2 inch pieces, bunches
- ½ cup cucumber about ½ of one English or 3 Persian, diced
FOR THE AVOCADO CAESAR DRESSING:
- 2 anchovy fillets packed in oil
- 2 green onions
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 avocado pit, and shell removed, ripe
- 2 lime
- 6-8 basil leaves
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- ¼ tsp salt or salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
BUTTERNUT SQUASH CROUTONS:
- 3 cups butternut squash cut into a medium-seize dice (about 1 small butternut squash)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil can substitute for avocado oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp oregano dried
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp kosher salt not iodized
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SEEDS
- smoked paprika a pinch
- salt a pinch of
- black pepper a pinch of
- garlic powder a pinch
Instructions
PREP AND ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SEEDS:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cubed squash, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cumin, and salt. Toss and mix until each cube is coated with the seasoning.
- When ready transfer to a nonstick sheet pan (use parchment paper is necessary) and bake for 20-25 minutes until fork-tender. After the squash is fork-tender, remove them from the pan, set them aside to toast the seeds.
- Roast the butternut squash seeds.
- Wash and dry the seeds well. Transfer to the same baking sheet the squash was on. Sprinkle in the spice and oil. Toss and mix to fully coat each seed.
- Place them into the same preheated oven set at 375°F and bake for 7-10 minutes (just enough to give them some crunch). Meanwhile, we will make the ceasar avocado dressing.
MAKE AVOCADO CAESAR DRESSING:
- Add the anchovies, green onions, olive oil, avocado, juice of the limes, basil leaves, garlic, pure maple syrup, water, salt, and pepper into a high-speed blender and blend until a thick and creamy dressing forms.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
- Add about 1/4 -1/2 cup of dressing to the greens (depending on how saucey you like your salads) and turn and toss with tongs until every leaf is fully covered with the dressing.
- Top the dandelions with roasted butternut squash croutons, freshly diced cucumbers, and toasted seeds.
- Serve and enjoy right away.
Notes
- If basil is unavailable, fresh dill, mint, or cilantro can substitute in the dressing.
- For anchovy alternatives, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce may be used to maintain umami flavor.
- Acorn squash can replace butternut squash for the roasted cubes if desired.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 287 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1.5CUP | |
| Calories | 287kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 25g | 8% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 22g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 451mg | 19% |
| Potassium | 732mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 11512IU | 230% |
| Vitamin C | 39mg | 43% |
| Calcium | 94mg | 9% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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