Butternut Squash Feta Salad
This salad is both hearty and full of flavor. Butternut Squash Feta Salad is sweet, savory and dressed in a zesty maple date vinaigrette.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- large baking sheet
- small food processor or blender
- sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1½ Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper *optional for a little heat to pair with the sweet dressing
- 7 cup arugula *see notes
- ⅓ cup feta, crumbled *see notes
- 3 dates, pitted and chopped
- ¼ cup walnuts, chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Maple Date Dressing
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 tsp water *to thin the dressing
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 soaked date, pitted *see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the butternut squash with a vegetable peeler. Carefully cut the butternut squash up into small 1 inch cubes, discard the seeds.
- Place the butternut squash cubes on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt, cayenne and pepper. Toss to coat and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender and browned around the edges.
- While the squash is roasting, make the maple dressing. Add lemon, maple syrup, seasonings (cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, nutmeg) apple cider vinegar, garlic, soaked dates, water and olive oil to a small blender. Blitz everything together well.
- Once the squash is finished, let it cool a bit. Assemble the salad. I like to add the greens on the bottom, then the squash, walnuts, cranberries, chopped dates, dressing and finish with the crumbled feta. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*mixed greens or spinach will also work
*goat cheese or blue cheese will also work well.
*soaking dates means you put them in a little hot water for a few minutes to soften them (if they are dried/hard/stale at all) this makes them really easy to chop and blend.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. The salad will get soggy if left much longer with dressing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.25cup of salad | Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 597mg | Potassium: 758mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 15875IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 2mg