Savory Butternut Squash Salad
A nutritious and delicious salad featuring roasted butternut squash, savory granola, and a brown butter balsamic dressing.
Ingredients
Savory Granola
- 1 large egg white
- 0.25 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 0.5 cup shelled pistachios
- 0.5 cup pine nuts
Butternut Squash
- 1 (3 pound) butternut squash peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon pepper
Brown Butter Balsamic Dressing
- 0.75 cup butter (1 and 1/2 sticks)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 small shallot
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper to taste
To Assemble the Salad
- 10 ounces baby spinach
- 1 cup dried cranberries warmed in the oven with the squash
- 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese shaved with a vegetable peeler
- none Fresh sage to garnish
- none Fresh cranberries to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray.
- Make the Savory Granola: In a large bowl, whisk the egg white until foamy. Add olive oil, honey, salt, sage, and cayenne. Mix well.
- Stir in walnuts, oats, pistachios, and pine nuts. Spread the mixture on one baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
- Prepare the Butternut Squash: In the same bowl used for the granola, toss the chopped squash with olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the seasoned squash on the second baking sheet. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Bake the squash for 25 minutes or until tender, tossing halfway through. Add cranberries in the last 5 minutes.
- For the Dressing: Brown the butter in a saucepan, then let it cool slightly. Blend brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, shallot, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the browned butter while blending.
- Assemble the Salad: Toss spinach with a bit of dressing. Add roasted squash, cranberries, granola, Parmesan, sage, and fresh cranberries. Serve with extra dressing on the side.
Notes
Serve the salad immediately for the best taste and texture. Leftover dressing can be stored in the fridge and reheated before use. The granola can be made ahead and stored for 1-2 weeks.