This Butternut Squash Salad is loaded with tender roasted squash, crisp apples, dried cranberries, and feta cheese over a bed of fresh greens. Tossed with a sweet and tangy maple vinaigrette, it’s a hearty, colorful salad that’s perfect for fall.
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A Beautiful Fall Salad
I first served this rustic fall salad for a family gathering last year, and I was so pleased with how gorgeous it looked and even more pleased with how much everyone loved it!
I love a salad that’s substantial enough to serve as a meal, and this one definitely fits the bill. With roasted butternut squash, sweet apples, crunchy almonds, feta cheese, and tender chicken, it’s loaded with texture and a seriously delicious combination of flavors. It’s made complete with my Maple Dijon Vinaigrette which has become one of my all-time favorite salad dressings.
You can toss everything together in a large salad bowl, but I love serving this one on a big platter. Arranging the colorful ingredients over the greens lets each one shine and creates a gorgeous presentation that’s perfect for fall entertaining.
Make the dressing in advance and pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store to make this beautiful, hearty salad surprisingly easy to put together.
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Pin ItIngredient Notes
- Butternut squash: Look for a small butternut squash that will yield about 3 to 3½ cups once peeled and cubed. Honeynut squash is a wonderful alternative when available. It looks like a miniature butternut squash but has a sweeter, more concentrated flavor and a rich orange color.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken makes this salad so easy to prepare. You can also use leftover cooked chicken breast.
- Greens: I like a combination of spring mix and chopped artisan romaine heart for a nice balance of flavor and crunch.
- Apples: Choose a crisp, sweet apple like SugarBee, Honeycrisp, or Fuji. A little lemon juice helps prevent browning.
- Dried cranberries: Add a pop of sweetness and chewy texture.
- Sliced almonds: Add a delicate crunch. Toast them for extra flavor, if you’d like.
- Feta cheese: Its salty, tangy flavor is a delicious contrast to the sweet apples and roasted squash.
- Maple vinaigrette: My homemade Maple Dijon Vinaigrette is absolute perfection on this salad. Made with tangy apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and sweetened with pure maple syrup, it’s the perfect complement to all those delicious fall flavors.
How to Make Butternut Squash Salad
Roast the Butternut Squash
- Season the squash: Peel and cut the butternut squash into ½-inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, granulated garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Roast the squash: Spread the squash in an even layer on a large baking sheet. Roast in the oven at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender with lightly caramelized edges. Set it aside to cool to room temperature.
Prep the Apple Matchsticks
- Cut around the core: Stand it the unpeeled apple upright and slice off the four sides around the core to create flat, seedless pieces.
- Slice into matchsticks: Lay each piece flat and cut into thin slices. Stack a few slices and cut them lengthwise into thin matchsticks. Repeat with the remaining slices.
- Prevent browning: Transfer the apple matchsticks to a small bowl and toss with lemon juice. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the salad.
Assemble the Salad
- Arrange the greens: Spread the mixed greens and chopped romaine evenly over a large serving platter.
- Assemble the salad: Arrange the roasted squash, apple, red onion, dried cranberries, feta, and sliced almonds over the greens, keeping the ingredients visible for a colorful presentation. Nestle the sliced rotisserie chicken in small groups throughout the salad. Drizzle with a little of the vinaigrette and serve the remaining on the side.
Variations
- Squash: Roasted sweet potatoes or roasted delicata squash are delicious alternatives to butternut squash.
- Fruit: Swap the apples for thinly sliced pears for another delicious fall flavor. Asian pears are an especially good choice because of their crisp texture and mild sweetness. For an extra pop of color and sweet-tart flavor, sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the salad.
- Turkey: Swap the chicken for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It’s a delicious way to give those holiday leftovers new life!
- Greens: Try baby spinach, peppery arugula, or finely chopped kale in place of some or all of the mixed greens.
- Grains: Add cooked wild rice or quinoa to make this hearty salad even more substantial. Both are delicious with the roasted squash and maple vinaigrette.
- Nuts and seeds: Substitute toasted pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds for the sliced almonds.
- Cheese: Try crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese in place of the feta.
Storage Tips
This salad is best enjoyed shortly after assembling. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The greens will soften once tossed with the dressing.
For the best results, store the salad ingredients and vinaigrette separately and toss together just before serving.
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Butternut Squash Salad
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 cups salad greens, a mix of baby greens or spring mix and artisan romaine heart
- 1 small butternut squash, or about 3 to 3½ cups cubed squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary, (or 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely minced)
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 medium apple, unpeeled, cut into thin matchsticks (SugarBee, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Fuji)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 cup crumbled feta
- 2 to 3 cups rotisserie chicken, or leftover roasted turkey, sliced
- 1 recipe Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
Instructions
Roast the Squash
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel and cut the squash into ½-inch cubes. Place them in a bowl and toss with olive oil, granulated garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper and spread out in an even layer on a large baking sheet.
- Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once halfway, until tender with lightly caramelized edges.You want them still holding their shape but tender when pierced.
- Set aside to cool.
Prep the Apple
- Leave the apple unpeeled. Stand it upright and slice off the four “cheeks” around the core – top-to-bottom cuts that give you flat, seedless pieces.
- Lay each piece flat and slice it into thin planks. Stack a few planks and cut them into thin matchsticks.
- Place the matchsticks in a small bowl and toss with lemon juice to prevent browning. Refrigerate if not assembling the salad immediately. Can refrigerate for up to an hour or two.
Assemble the Salad
- Arrange the greens on a platter or in a large shallow bowl.
- Arrange the red onion, cranberries, roasted squash, apple matchsticks, feta, and sliced almonds over the greens, distributing them so the individual ingredients remain visible. Arrange the sliced rotisserie chicken in small clusters over the top. Don't toss the salad before serving to preserve the beautiful presentation.
- Drizzle with a little of the Maple Dijon Vinaigrette and serve with the rest on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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