Butternut Squash, Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

by | Nov 16, 2018 | Lunch/Dinner, Side Dish, Uncategorized, Vegetarian/Vegan

This warm roasted root vegetable salad is a sure to delight your tastebuds! It works well for meal prep or as a side dish for holiday get togethers. 

The fall harvest brings into season a variety of squash and root vegetables. A great way to switch up your salads is to incorporate some delicious butternut squash and red beets for a warm, hearty meal. This salad could be eaten as a complete meal or incorporated as a side dish.

Fresh butternut squash can sometimes be intimidating. Here are a few simple illustrations of how to approach peeling the squash for roasting. After these step by step instructions for assembling the salad, you will find the full recipe.

Start by cutting the squash in half and removing the seeds form the centre.

The next step is to peel the outside of the squash. After the hard shell has been peeled, it is easier to chop into desirable pieces. For this recipe, chop the squash into small cubes. If you have any remaining squash, it can be frozen in a zip-lock bag and used later.

The next strep in the recipe is to peel and dice the beets. Place the butternut squash and beets on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes at 350F.

Lastly, assemble all of the ingredients in a large bowl and drizzle with the salad dressing.

Mix the salad up and enjoy!

Print

Butternut Squash, Beet and Feta Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 3

Ingredients

  • 3 beets, peeled and cubed
  • 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 apple, cubed
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas)
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Salad Dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.

  2. Peel and cube beets and butternut squash. 

  3. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Toss the beets and squash over the parchment paper and distribute the olive oil evenly over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  

  4. Place baking sheet into oven for 40 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

  5. Cut apples into small cubes.

  6.  Place spinach in a large bowl. Add the apples, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, beets, squash and goat cheese. 

  7. In a separate bowl combine, whisk all of the salad dressing ingredients. 

  8. Toss the ingredients together and serve immediately. 

Written by dietetic intern, Maja Kujundzic and reviewed by Andrea Docherty, RD