Fall Salad with Butternut Squash and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

I totally cheated. 

I was walking through the supermarket and it was about 11:15. Lunchtime was quickly creeping up on me, but I knew that I’d have to dive back into recipe work for clients the second I got back home.

I needed something quick to make, but I couldn’t get my mind off the piles of winter squash all around me in the produce section. 

I wanted roasted squash. On a salad. With other fall-like things. 

So I went over to that little section with all the pre-cut veggies. And there it was. Little cubes of butternut squash ready to pop in the oven. 

Other than a salad mix here and there, I rarely grab anything from this section. I guess there is part of me that feels like I should earn my winter squash. Anything good is worth working for. Although, I have to admit that I swore off cubing winter squash when I learned last year that I could roast the thing whole. But mashed squash isn’t ideal for salads, so pre-cut cubes to the rescue. 

I brought them home, coated them in cinnamon and smoked paprika and roasted them until they were tender. Then I grabbed all the other fall ingredients I could find and made a salad. 

I finally found some apple cider around here. So I used it for a simple vinaigrette for the salad. 

Boom. Fall in a bowl. 

What you’ll need:

Squash
3 cups cubed butternut squash
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon fine ground sea salt

Salad
2 cups finely chopped kale
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of fine ground sea salt
4 cups finely chopped napa cabbage
4 cups chopped spinach
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup pomegranate arils

Dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with the cinnamon, smoked paprika and salt. Toss to coat. Spread into a single layer and bake for 10 minutes. Stir and bake for 10 more minutes, until tender. 

While the squash cooks, begin the salad. Place the kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the pinch of salt. Massage the kale to soften it. Add the napa cabbage and spinach to the bowl. 

Add the ingredients for the dressing to a 1/2 pint mason jar. Seal with the lid and shake to combine. Pour the dressing over the greens and toss to coat. Top with the pecans, red onions, pomegranate arils and roasted squash and serve.