American
Roasted Butternut Harvest Salad with Cranberry-Poppy Seed Dressing
An autumnal platter salad with honey-roasted butternut squash, mixed greens, goat cheese, pecans, bacon, and a quick cranberry-poppy seed dressing. Cooling the squash briefly before assembly keeps the greens fresh while still letting the warm roasted edges carry the salad.
Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh VeggiesMake AheadMeal Prep Friendly
At a Glance
- Time
- 50 mins
- Serves
- 6 to 8
- Cost
- Medium
- Cuisine
- American
- Dietary fit
- Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400F. Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil, honey, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until every cube is lightly coated.
- Spread the squash in a single layer on a lightly greased foil-lined 15-by-10-inch jelly-roll pan. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once after 10 minutes, until the squash is tender in the center and browned on the cut edges.
- Let the squash cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. It should still be slightly warm, but not so hot that it wilts the greens as soon as it touches them.
- Pulse the poppy seed dressing and cranberries in a blender 3 to 4 times, just until the cranberries are coarsely chopped and the dressing turns lightly pink and tart.
- Arrange the mixed salad greens on a large platter. Scatter the roasted squash, goat cheese, pecans, and crumbled bacon over the top so each serving gets creamy, crisp, sweet, and smoky pieces.
- Serve the cranberry-poppy seed dressing on the side or drizzle lightly over the platter just before serving. If making ahead, keep the squash, bacon, greens, cheese, pecans, and dressing separate until assembly.
Adaptations
Easy Swap- Gluten-Free: Easy Swap Easy swap; see the adaptation note below.
- Dairy-Free: Works As Written Works as written; verify packaged ingredients as noted below.
- Vegetarian: Not Vegetarian Not adaptable; this recipe is built around meat, poultry, or seafood.
How to adapt: Use a certified GF poppy seed dressing. For dairy-free diners, omit the goat cheese or serve it on the side; the rest of the salad is dairy-free as written.