Recipe
Butternut Squash + Beet Harvest Salad
The perfect autumn salad for your Thanksgiving table is here!! You’ll love this Butternut Squash + Beet Harvest Salad with sweet pecan balsamic dressing!
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and cut in cubes
- 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 5 oz. arugula
- 2 beets, cooked and cut in cubes
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 oz. crumbled goat cheese
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
- 1/2 cup extra virgin oliv oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar (honey or maple syrup works)
- 1 garlic clove
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- You can buy pre-cubed butternut squash in most food stores, but if you want to cube it yourself, this is how you do it:
- Cut the end off the butternut squash that has the stem on it.
- Hold the bell end with your other hand. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off the squash. The skin is pretty thick, so it may take a few peels to get down the the orange flesh.
- Once the neck is peeled, work your way around the bell, removing the skin with the vegetable peeler.
- Once the skin is removed, hold the bell with one hand steady on the cutting board and slice the neck of the butternut squash into 1/2 inch slices. Continue until all the neck is cut into slices.
- Place the rounds in a pile, about three or so, and make three or four slices.
- Turn the stack to then make the same slices to cut the squash into cubes.
- Once all the neck slices are cubed, remove and discard the seeds from the bell. Slice the bell into rings and cut them into pieces about the same size as the cubes.
- Place all the butternut squash pieces in a large bowl with the coconut oil, cinnamon, and sea salt.
- Toss until the squash is well coated.
- Spread the squash out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 40 minutes, until tender and golden brown.
- While the butternut squash is roasting, place the arugula on a large platter or in a large bowl along with the cooked beets. If you’re cooking your own beets, check out my YouTube how-to video!
- Cut the beets in 1/4 – 1/2 inch cubes and place them on top of the arugula.
- Place the pumpkin seeds in a small to medium pan over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- The pumpkin seeds will pop and turn golden brown when they’re toasted, about five minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- Place the pecans, olive oil, water, balsamic vinegar, agave, and garlic in the food processor.
- Process until smooth.
- When the squash is done roasting, you can either serve it immediately to add some warmth to your salad, or allow it to come to room temperature on the baking sheet before adding it to the salad.
- Add the squash to the salad, sprinkle with goat cheese and pumpkin seeds.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss.