You’re going to love this hearty maple-roasted Butternut Squash Salad with feta cheese, juicy pomegranate, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and a chili lime vinaigrette. It’s full of great flavors and textures.
Salads can be enjoyed any time of year, and this Butternut Squash Salad is no exception!
The roasted butternut squash is tossed with some crisp lettuce, crumbled feta cheese, juicy pomegranate seeds, and crunchy pumpkin seeds.
It’s all topped off with a chili-lime vinaigrette for a delicious and hearty salad that everyone will enjoy!
Butternut squash is one of my favorite vegetables. It’s so versatile and can be used in so many different dishes.
What is butternut squash? It’s a winter squash that is typically oval in shape with a thick, tan-colored skin. The flesh is orange or yellow and is very smooth and creamy. It has a sweet flavor with a hint of nuttiness.
Not only is it delicious, but it’s also good for you too!
Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and fiber. It’s also low in calories and fat, making it a great addition to any healthy diet.
For this recipe, the butternut squash gets roasted in the oven along with maple syrup to enhance its flavor.
It then gets tossed with your favorite lettuce, salty feta cheese, and sweet and tart pomegranate seeds along with crunchy pumpkin seeds.
The salad gets topped with a homemade chili-lime dressing that adds a little bit of heat and acidity to balance out the sweetness of the squash.
This dressing is really easy to make and only requires a few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!
Be sure to also check out these other salad recipes, such as Tomato Onion Salad, Feta & Pesto CousCous Salad, Leek Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing, and Roasted Red Kuri Squash Salad.
They’re all great topped with Air Fryer Croutons.
The sweet flavor of butternut squash pairs perfectly with this hearty salad.
Even though it uses a winter squash, this salad is delicious any time of the year.
This vegetarian salad is perfect for a weeknight meal or as a side for a holiday dinner.
The dressing is simple to make and any extra can be used as a dressing or marinade in other recipes.
Please see the recipe card below for quantities.
Wondering how to make this Butternut Squash Salad recipe? It’s easy! Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then, scroll down for the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.
Prepare for roasting: Preheat the oven to 400° F (200°C) and grab a sheet pan. Set aside.
Prepare the butternut squash: Wash the outside of the squash well. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the half squash on the cutting board with the cut side down (so it doesn’t roll) and cut into ½-inch cubes
Season and roast: Mix the oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then add the squash and use your hands to coat the slices well. Place the butternut slices onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and season with salt and pepper.
Roast: Roast for 10 minutes, then flip each piece over and roast for a further 5 minutes or until golden brown and tender on the inside.
Prepare the dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Set aside.
Assemble and serve: To serve, add the lettuce leaves in a pile on salad plates or in a serving dish. Layer the butternut squash on top. Sprinkle with the crumbled feta, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with as much dressing as desired.
Butternut squash can be a tough vegetable to cut. Make sure you are using a very sharp knife to cut with. You can also use pre-cut butternut squash to save time.
If you want to make this salad ahead of time, roast the squash and prepare the dressing. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. Add the feta, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds just before serving.
When assembling the salad, you want to make sure the butternut squash isn’t steaming hot as this will wilt the lettuce and melt the cheese. Allow it to cool slightly before adding everything together.
Serve with a side of Lentil Soup for a hearty lunch.
Drizzle with Chili Garlic Oil for a bold garlicky kick of heat.
Makes a great pairing for dinner along with Mushroom Wellington.
Toss in some cooled Turmeric Rice for additional texture and heartiness.
If you don’t have pomegranate seeds, you can use dried cranberries or raisins.
For a bit more of a crunch, you can add chopped nuts to the salad such as pecans or walnuts.
If you want to make this salad into a main dish, you can add grilled tofu, tempeh, or add chickpeas, broad beans, or white beans.
Instead of butternut squash, try other sweet winter squash such as kabocha, acorn, or delicata. You can even use roasted sweet potato!
Other dressing ideas include balsamic vinaigrette, tahini dressing, or a simple lemon vinaigrette.
This salad is best served immediately. However, the ingredients can be separated and added to an airtight container for up to 5 days. Assemble before serving. The dressing can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to one week.
Freezing is not recommended.
Butternut squash is considered a low-sugar vegetable. One cup of butternut squash has about 3 grams of sugar.
If you are looking for a vegan option, you can use tofu feta or omit it altogether. Other cheese options include goat cheese, blue cheese, or cheddar cheese.
Butternut squash is considered a starchy vegetable. It is higher in carbohydrates than other vegetables but it also contains fiber and vitamins.
Sign up for our free newsletter and never miss a recipe!
Plus, you’ll get a free eBook: 15 Minute Vegan Dinners!
Did you make this recipe?
* Head down to the comments and leave a ⭐ star rating!
* Share with #veggiedesserts on social media so I can see your creations.
* Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
This hearty maple-roasted Butternut Squash Salad has feta cheese, juicy pomegranate, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and a chili lime vinaigrette!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Dinner, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 223 kcal
Preheat the oven to 400° F (200°C).
Wash the outside of the squash well. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out and discard the seeds.
Place the half squash on the cutting board with the cut side down (so it doesn’t roll) and cut into ½-inch cubes
Mix the oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then add the squash and use your hands to coat the slices well. Place the butternut slices onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and season with the salt and pepper.
Place into the oven and roast for 10 minutes, then flip each piece over and roast for a further 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, for the dressing, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Set aside.
To serve, pile the plates or a serving dish with the lettuce and top with the roasted squash.
Sprinkle with the crumbled feta, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
Drizzle with as much dressing as desired.
Calories: 223kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 3gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 473mgPotassium: 378mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 7768IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 1mg
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.