Description
A colorful, wholesome autumn salad with roasted squash, crisp apples, crunchy nuts, and dried fruit, tossed with a tangy maple Dijon vinaigrette. Perfect as a festive side or light main dish.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 4 cups mixed greens (spinach, arugula, or spring mix)
- 2 cups roasted butternut squash or pumpkin cubes
- 1 apple (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith), thinly sliced
- ½ cup dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
- ⅓ cup toasted pecans or walnuts
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
For the Dressing (Maple Dijon Vinaigrette):
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Roast squash cubes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and golden. Let cool slightly.
- In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, maple syrup, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Arrange mixed greens on a platter or in a bowl. Top with roasted squash, apple slices, cranberries, goat cheese, nuts, and red onion.
- Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss gently before serving.
Notes
- Add roasted Brussels sprouts or sweet potato for extra flavor.
- Make it vegan by skipping the cheese or using a plant-based option.
- Dressing can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Salad / Side Dish
- Method: Roasted + Assembled
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 19g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
