One of my favorite fall vegetables is butternut squash. Whether it’s mashed, diced, or pureed, it’s always a hit. I was looking for a way to change up my usual lunch routine and opted for a vegetarian fall salad.
This recipe is filled with most of my pantry and refrigerator basics: feta, walnuts, spinach, dried cranberries, honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, and balsamic or cranberry vinaigrette. While I peeled and diced my own, you can simplify this further by purchasing pre-diced butternut squash at your grocery store.
The sweetness of the veggies combined with the salty walnuts had me snacking an hour or two before it was technically “lunchtime”. Drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette and top with chicken to serve as an entree, or forgo the spinach and toss with quinoa for a tasty side dish.
If you try our Honey-Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberry Spinach Salad, we’d love to see your photos! Tag us on instagram @fridgetofork, and be sure to let us know how it turned out in the comments below.
Honey-Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberry Spinach Salad
- Prep Time: 10m
- Cook Time: 20m
- Total Time: 30m
- Serves: 3
Ingredients
- 2 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tbsp. honey (can substitute with maple syrup)
- 2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 9 tbsp. dried cranberries
- 9 tbsp. crumbled feta
- 1 c walnuts
- fresh spinach
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Toss diced butternut squash with honey, 2 tablespoons olive oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper (to taste) until evenly coated. Spread evenly on a baking pan and roast for 20 minutes, or until soft. Make sure to turn the squash periodically for an even roast. Let cool.
- Toss walnuts in 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degress for 10 minutes or until darker brown. Remove and let cool.
- Combine roasted butternut squash, feta, cranberries, walnuts in large bowl. Add spinach, top with vinaigrette of your choice, and serve.
