Fall Harvest Salad with Butternut Squash

Fall Harvest Salad with Butternut Squash

Bitter greens such as arugula and endive pair beautifully with sweet butternut squash. Eat the butternut squash “stem-to-root” by roasting the seeds and adding some crunch to the salad.

Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel 1 butternut squash and scrape out the seeds with a spoon, reserving them for a separate sheet pan. Chop the squash into 1-inch chunks. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out squash on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing the squash halfway. While the squash roasts, rinse the seeds and pat them dry. On a separate sheet pan, add the seeds with a splash of olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes until browned. Prepare the rest of the salad. In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together 2 Tb olive oil, 1 Tb white balsamic vinegar (plus more to taste), 1 tsp Dijon mustard and pepper. Add ½ finely chopped shallot and 8 cups assorted leafy greens (arugula, spinach, kale, baby lettuces). Toss to combine. Once the squash is done cooking, allow it to cool for a few minutes. Add the squash and squash seeds to the salad and toss well.