Hands down, my favorite thing about this time of year is throwing a big tray of vegetables into the oven and roasting them until they are caramelized and crazy flavorful. I like them a bit crispy, perfectly seasoned, and then I use them on all sorts of things, like this Roasted Butternut Squash Salad!
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad at a glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 40 minutes (10 min prep + 30 min roast)
- 👪 Servings: 8 servings
- 🥗 Cuisine Type: Mediterranean / Seasonal Salad
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Sweet roasted squash and beets, peppery arugula, tangy goat cheese, crunchy candied walnuts, and bright honey-balsamic vinaigrette
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, gluten-free
- 📦 Storage Notes: Roast veggies ahead and refrigerate; assemble and dress just before serving for best texture
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: A cozy, crowd-pleasing fall salad that’s easy to prep in advance and perfect for holidays or weekly meal prep. Simple roasted veggies + fresh greens + a quick homemade vinaigrette = effortless seasonal magic.
Summarize and save this content on...
Why I Love This Recipe
This Roasted Butternut Squash Salad is a once a week kinda thing in our home. I make it on a weekly rotation and keep all the ingredients locked and loaded in the fridge so I can assemble it at a moment's notice. And you can bet it's going to make an appearance on the Thanksgiving menu this year.
Roast the heck out of your veggies, add them to a peppery arugula salad bed, top it with walnuts and goat cheese, and then make one of my famous homemade vinaigrettes and you're done! And feel free to add to it! Roasted sweet potatoes or roasted acorn squash would be an excellent replacement for butternut squash if you prefer that! You could add a few leftover roasted Brussels Sprouts! Skies the limit. Any roasted vegetable would be a great addition or substitution!
PS - are you thinking of putting this on your Thanksgiving menu? Check out the full What's Gaby Cooking menu here, along with the master prep schedule to keep things organized and on track!
Jump to:
Ingredients
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions, please see recipe card below.
Substitutions & Swaps
🎃 Squash Options
- Butternut squash — sweet, creamy, and classic.
- Delicata squash — no peeling required, and slightly nuttier.
- Acorn squash — deeper flavor and holds shape well.
- Sweet potatoes — slightly sweeter and super cozy.
- Roasted carrots — great swap if you don’t have squash.
- Roasted pumpkin cubes — similar texture and flavor.
🥬 Greens Base Options
- Arugula — peppery and bright (classic choice).
- Baby spinach — mild and crowd-friendly.
- Massaged kale — hearty and great for meal prep.
- Mixed spring greens — lighter and more delicate.
- Chopped romaine — crunchy and more salad-y.
- Shaved Brussels sprouts — amazing fall upgrade.
🧀 Cheese Swaps
- Goat cheese — tangy and creamy (perfect with squash).
- Feta — saltier and crumblier.
- Shaved parmesan — nutty and savory.
- Blue cheese — bold and cozy fall flavor.
- Burrata — creamy, luxe upgrade.
- Vegan feta or cashew cheese — easy dairy-free swap.
🌰 Nut & Crunch Options
- Candied pecans — sweet + crunchy classic.
- Walnuts — earthy and slightly bitter balance.
- Almonds — sliced or smoked, both work.
- Pistachios — bright color and fun texture.
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) — nut-free crunch option.
- Sunflower seeds — budget-friendly swap.
🍎 Fruit Add-Ins
- Pomegranate arils — bright pops of sweetness.
- Thin apple slices — crisp and fall-forward.
- Pear slices — soft, juicy, and elegant.
- Dried cranberries — sweet + tart contrast.
- Roasted grapes — underrated and delicious.
- Fresh figs — fancy fall vibe.
🍯 Dressing Swaps
- Basil vinaigrette — bright and herbal.
- Honey mustard vinaigrette — tangy and sweet.
- Balsamic vinaigrette — classic and bold.
- Apple cider vinaigrette — bright fall flavor.
- Dijon vinaigrette — perfect and easy.
- Lemon vinaigrette — lighter and fresher version.
🥓 Protein Add-Ins
- Crispy bacon or pancetta — salty and savory boost.
- Grilled chicken — turns it into a full meal.
- Prosciutto — salty ribbons of goodness.
- Roasted chickpeas — plant-based protein + crunch.
- Lentils — hearty and meal-prep friendly.
- Quinoa — makes it a grain bowl situation.
🍽 Serving Style Swaps
- Serve warm — roast squash fresh and toss immediately.
- Serve chilled — great make-ahead salad.
- Turn into grain bowls — add farro, quinoa, or wild rice.
- Serve as a holiday side — perfect for the Thanksgiving table.
- Wrap in flatbread — leftover lunch magic.
How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Step 1: Place the cubed squash and beets on a large baking sheet, along with the wedged onion. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Transfer to the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Remove and let cool slightly, carefully rub the skin off the beets.
Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, balsamic, and olive oil until mixed. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: In a large salad bowl or serving platter, arrange the roasted squash, arugula, beets, walnuts, and goat cheese. Dress salad as needed and serve immediately.
🥗✨ Tips & Tricks for Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
- Roast the squash until deeply caramelized. Golden, slightly crispy edges = sweeter flavor and better texture in the salad.
- Cut squash into evenly sized cubes. Uniform pieces roast at the same speed so nothing turns mushy while others stay firm. Or save yourself some time by buying pre-cubed.
- Use high heat for roasting. 425°F helps the squash brown instead of steam, giving you that nutty, caramelized flavor.
- Season the squash generously before roasting. Salt, pepper, and olive oil upfront build the base flavor of the entire salad.
- Let the squash cool slightly before tossing. Adding hot squash directly to greens can wilt them too much and dull their texture.
- Dress the greens lightly first. Toss the vinaigrette with greens before adding toppings so everything is evenly coated.
- Balance textures. This salad shines when you have creamy (cheese), crunchy (nuts), tender (squash), and fresh (greens) in every bite.
- Toast the nuts. A quick toast in a dry pan or oven brings out deeper flavor and keeps them crisp. Nuts burn quickly - watch the pan!
- Add cheese at the end. Crumbled goat cheese or feta should go on last so it stays creamy instead of melting into the dressing.
- Taste before serving. Squash can vary in sweetness. Add an extra squeeze of lemon, pinch of salt, or drizzle of honey if needed.
- Layer instead of dumping. Start with greens, add squash, then toppings. This keeps ingredients from sinking to the bottom.
- Serve slightly warm or room temp. This salad tastes best when the squash isn’t fridge-cold.
- Make components ahead. Roast squash and prep dressing up to 2–3 days in advance for easy assembly.
- Turn leftovers into lunch. Add quinoa, farro, or grilled chicken the next day to make it a hearty meal.
FAQs
Can I buy pre-cut butternut squash?
Yes! Pre-cut squash is a huge time saver and works perfectly. Just try to keep pieces similar in size so they roast evenly.
Can I roast the squash ahead of time?
Absolutely. Roast up to 3 days in advance and store in the fridge. Bring to room temp or lightly warm before assembling the salad.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Absolutely. Skip the cheese or use a dairy-free option—the salad is still super flavorful.
Can I add protein to make it a full meal?
Yes! Grilled chicken, salmon, steak, quinoa, lentils, or crispy chickpeas all turn this into a complete meal.
How do I keep the greens from wilting?
Let the squash cool slightly and toss with dressing right before serving.
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash
- 4-5 small heirloom beets halved
- 1 red onion cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 cups arugula
- ¼ cup candied walnuts
- ¼ cup goat cheese
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
For the Honey Balsamic Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place the cubed squash and beets on a large baking sheet, along with the wedged onion. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove and let cool slightly, carefully rub the skin off the beets. In a large salad bowl or serving platter, arrange the roasted squash, arugula, beets, walnuts, goat cheese.
- In a small bowl whisk together the honey, balsamic and olive oil until mixed. Season with salt and pepper. Dress salad as needed and serve immediately.
Notes
-
- Roast the squash until deeply caramelized. Golden, slightly crispy edges = sweeter flavor and better texture in the salad.
- Cut squash into evenly sized cubes. Uniform pieces roast at the same speed so nothing turns mushy while others stay firm. Or save yourself some time by buying pre-cubed.
- Use high heat for roasting. 425°F helps the squash brown instead of steam, giving you that nutty, caramelized flavor.
- Season the squash generously before roasting. Salt, pepper, and olive oil upfront build the base flavor of the entire salad.
- Let the squash cool slightly before tossing. Adding hot squash directly to greens can wilt them too much and dull their texture.
- Dress the greens lightly first. Toss the vinaigrette with greens before adding toppings so everything is evenly coated.
- Balance textures. This salad shines when you have creamy (cheese), crunchy (nuts), tender (squash), and fresh (greens) in every bite.
- Toast the nuts. A quick toast in a dry pan or oven brings out deeper flavor and keeps them crisp. Nuts burn quickly - watch the pan!
- Add cheese at the end. Crumbled goat cheese or feta should go on last so it stays creamy instead of melting into the dressing.
- Taste before serving. Squash can vary in sweetness. Add an extra squeeze of lemon, pinch of salt, or drizzle of honey if needed.
- Layer instead of dumping. Start with greens, add squash, then toppings. This keeps ingredients from sinking to the bottom.
- Serve slightly warm or room temp. This salad tastes best when the squash isn’t fridge-cold.
- Make components ahead. Roast squash and prep dressing up to 2–3 days in advance for easy assembly.
- Turn leftovers into lunch. Add quinoa, farro, or grilled chicken the next day to make it a hearty meal.
Nutrition Information
Photography by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Prop Styling Amy Paliwoda / Props by Casa de Perrin and The Surface Library / Recipe by What’s Gaby Cooking
This salad is AWESOME. I make it a lot. Maybe too much. It’s great to put out at dinner parties or just make to accompany some protein during the week. It even saves pretty well. I used mixed greens sometimes, or sub in toasted pecans, but it’s always a hit.
I really love everything about this salad. It’s delicious and easy to make and it makes salad fun! Thank you!
Always looking for new ways to use my favorite butter nut squash!!
Just made this for guests the other night - Big hit!
This is a delicious seasonal salad!! We just love different ways to use butternut squash!
Yum!!! this reminds me of a salad that I make. I love the addition of dried cranberries. I will have to try this.
This is so gorgeous Gaby! Just the kind of salad I would want on my Thanksgiving table!
This looks so great Gaby!!! Beautiful!
This salad looks divine! I might substitute with some crispy bacon, but my husbando would totally be into the prosciutto. Either way, great salad!