If you want to make full use of fall vegetables like squash, you must use them in salads. One of my favorite salads to make during holidays or in winters is the roasted squash salad. The recipe is so simple yet so amazing, it blows my mind. 

Like most humans that roam around this Earth, I am a lazy being. I need less cooking time and more laying-on-my-bed time. But I also want to eat healthy and nutritious food. This roasted squash salad helps me achieve all that. It gets ready in half an hour, doesn’t need a million trips to the supermarket, and needs no Michelin star chef skills. 

The roasted squash is just one aspect of this recipe. The dressing is a simple reduce balsamic vinegar. The salad is made with fresh arugula, pepitas (papaya seeds), and goat cheese. Also, it is topped with crispy shallots that are covered in rice flour and fried.

The salad has a lot of interesting textures and flavors. It is the perfect winter salad if you ask me. To add more flavor, you can add some pomegranate molasses to the dressing. Don’t have it? Here is a list of pomegranate molasses substitutes.

I feel like I have hyped you enough. Let me just tell you the details of this roasted squash salad. But before you read out the entire recipe, check out other appetizing salads from our blog.

1. Wendy’s Taco Salad– Have you tried the famous salad by Wendy’s? Wendy’s taco salad is a healthy combination of tacos, veggies, and ground beef. This salad is garnished with cheese, tortilla chips, salsa, and sour cream. It has the spiciness of chili and flavors of healthy veggies like lettuce, beans, garlic, and many more.

2. Cherry Jello Salad– Cherry jello salad can be enjoyed as a salad and a dessert. This dessert-salad is filled with the flavors of cherry, fruity gelatin, berries, and other fruits. It’s a perfect dish to be enjoyed at a celebration meal.

3. Cranberry Gelatin Salad– Cranberry gelatin salad is a delicious Thanksgiving salad that can be served as a dessert and salad. It has cherry-flavored jello mix and cranberry sauce mixed with pineapples. Chopped pecan added to it give a nutty and crunchy twist to the salad.

4. Ice Water Salad– Ice water salad is a make-ahead salad filled with nutrition and flavors of walnuts, parmesan, lemon juice, and veggies. This salad is kept in an ice bath and is dressed in anchovy paste and garlic.

What Equipment Will You Need For Roasted Squash Salad?

• Baking Sheet and Parchment Paper- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper to roast the squash.
• Oven- Roast the squash in the oven.
• Small Saucepan- You’ll need a small saucepan to reduce the balsamic vinegar that’ll be the dressing for your salad.
• Skillet- Toast the pepitas in a skillet and make them crunchy. 
• Small Bowl- Coat the shallots with flour in a small bowl.
• Cast-Iron Skillet- Then, fry the shallots until crunchy in a skillet.
• Serving Bowl- Assemble and serve the salad in a serving bowl. 
• Knife and Spoon- Use the knife and spoon for cutting and the latter for mixing and stirring. 

How Much Time Will You Need For Roasted Squash Salad?

What Ingredients Will You Need For Roasted Squash Salad?

For The Squash

• Squash- For this recipe, I suggest you should use acorn squash. But if you want, you can use any other winter squash you want. 
• Olive Oil, Salt, and Black Pepper- Drizzle some olive oil over the squash and season it with salt and pepper before roasting it. 

For The Dressing

• Balsamic Vinegar- The dressing for this salad is a simple reduced balsamic vinegar. Isn’t that great?

For The Shallots

• Shallots- The shallots are fried to a crisp. They add a sweet, earthy, and crunchy flavor to the salad. 
• Brown Rice Flour and Sea Salt- Cover the shallots with flour and salt. This helps them become crispy and savory.
• Olive Oil- Fry the shallots to a crispy golden brown and set them aside.

For The Salad

• Arugula- The arugula leaves add a spicy and slightly bitter kick to the salad.
• Goat Cheese- The goat cheese gives a crumbly texture and a slightly sweet taste to the salad.
• Pepitas- Roast the pepitas and add them to the salad for extra crunch and flavor.
• Dried Currants- The currants add a sweet and sour flavor to the salad. 

Steps To Make Roasted Squash Salad

1. The Winter Squash

Start by preparing the squash. Cut it and spoon out all its seeds. Then, cut the squash into small wedges.

After that, place the squash on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle some oil over them and sprinkle some salt and pepper over them. Then, toss them to coat well. Place in the oven preheated at 425℉ for 15-20 minutes until they turn golden brown.

2. Reduce The Balsamic and Roast The Pepitas

Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and let the vinegar boil until it is half of its volume and is thick. This would take about 10-15 minutes. 

Now, the pepitas. Place a dry skillet over medium heat and add the pepitas to it. Roast them for 3-5 minutes, stirring a few times. 

3. Crispy Shallots

In a small bowl, add the shallots along with brown rice flour, salt, and pepper. Toss the shallots so that they get coated with flour mixture.

Then, heat oil in a cast-iron skillet and add the shallots to it. Cook the shallots in it for about 5 minutes until they are golden in color and have become crispy. 

4. Salad, Assemble

Now, it’s time for you to assemble the salad. Take a serving bowl and add arugula to it. Then, add the roasted squash, roasted pepitas, fried shallots, goat cheese, and currants to it.

Dress the salad by drizzling the balsamic dressing over the salad. Toss it, so everything gets coated, and then serve your amazing salad. 

Nutritional Value

How Will The Roasted Squash Salad Look And Taste Like?

The roasted squash salad looks colorful and beautiful. All the colors make it look very appetizing. The roasted squash is tender and has a sweet earthy flavor. The arugula is slightly spicy and bitter. There is a combination of flavors and textures. You’ll find sweet, savory, tangy, and bitter flavors. The cheese has a crumbly texture, the shallots are crispy, and the pepitas are crunchy. The balsamic dressing makes the salad intense and tangy. So, you might not want to go overboard with it. I just want to say that I’ll definitely be making this salad whenever fall comes.

Recipe Card

This was all about the delicious roasted squash salad. Do try to make this amazing fall salad at home and tell me your reviews in the comments. I am very open to suggestions as well. So, if you have any, share them with me and I’ll try my best to write about them. Until then, take care.