Servings
Font
Back
4.8 from 12 votes

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

This roasted Butternut Squash Salad is my favorite salad ever! It starts with a base of spinach and kale tossed with a creamy avocado vinaigrette dressing. It's topped with roasted butternut squash, dates, pistachios, and quinoa for an incredibly flavorful salad that just so happens to be gluten free and vegan. It's the perfect salad recipe for the fall and winter months, and it's easy to make in only 35 minutes!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 414 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Main Course , Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds fresh butternut squash peeled and cubed
  • ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh Rosemary chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup cooked quinoa click link for instructions
  • 3 cups kale chopped
  • 3 cups baby spinach leaves
  • ½ cup fresh dates pitted and chopped
  • ¼ cup pistachios
Avocado Vinaigrette Dressing
  • 1 avocado skin & pit removed
  • ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. If using a whole squash, peel it with a vegetable peeler, then dice it into ½ inch cubes. Toss the butternut squash, red onion and garlic with the olive oil, rosemary, cinnamon, kosher salt and black pepper.
  3. Place the vegetables in an even layer on a baking sheet and into the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender.
  4. While the squash is roasting, add ¼ cup dry quinoa to a small pot with ½ cup water, bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the lid, fluff with a fork and set it aside.
  5. Prepare the salad dressing by adding the avocado, white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to a blender, blend on low until smooth and creamy, set aside.
  6. Remove any stems from the kale and chop it up, the add it to a large bowl with the spinach leaves and ½ cup of the salad dressing.
  7. Remove the butternut squash from the oven, let it cool for 5-10 minutes, then place the squash on top of the salad with the cooked quinoa, chopped dates and pistachios. Toss everything together and serve the salad.

Notes

  • For the salad dressing, you can use traditional balsamic vinegar, but the color of the dressing will turn out light brown, instead of green. You can also make the dressing up to a week in advance and store it in the fridge. If you're really short on time you can also use bottled balsamic dressing, instead of making the avocado vinaigrette. It won’t have the same creaminess, but the flavors will still work really well with this recipe.
  • This salad can easily serve 2 people as a meal or 6 people as a side dish. If you want to make the salad a main meal for four people, or a side dish that will serve 10-12 people, simply click the 2x button above. The ingredient amounts will automatically update to make a double batch of the salad.
  • This salad is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.

Nutrition Information

Serving 2serving Calories 414kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 36g (12%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 31g (48%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 21g Sodium 417mg (17%) Potassium 899mg (26%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 14g (28%) Vitamin A 14603mg (292%) Vitamin C 46mg (51%) Calcium 129mg (13%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 414

% Daily Value*

Serving 2serving
Calories 414kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 36g 12%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 31g 48%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 21g 105%
Sodium 417mg 17%
Potassium 899mg 19%
Fiber 8g 32%
Sugar 14g 28%
Vitamin A 14603mg 292%
Vitamin C 46mg 51%
Calcium 129mg 13%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.