This roasted squash salad is tossed in an out-of-this-world roasted shallot dressing, and includes crunchy red cabbage, toasted pecans, and nutty Parmesan. It's hearty enough to be a main dish but could also be served as a side salad. It will be a beautiful and delicious addition to your holiday table!
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If you are in need of a fall salad that hits all of the right notes - warm, simple, crunchy, full-flavored, and nutritious - then this roasted squash salad is for you. It's naturally gluten-free, can easily be turned into a vegan salad (by simply omitting the cheese), and very low maintenance.
The roasted shallot dressing is bright and zesty, and is the co-star of the salad, along with the roasted butternut squash. But the crunchy red cabbage, toasted pecans, salty Parmesan, and bitter greens all play their respective roles in making this salad the only one you need on your holiday table.
Pair it with vegan mushroom risotto with pumpkin and dutch apple cake for a mouth-watering autumnal meal!
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⭐️ Why This Salad is the Best
- Full-flavored: Fresh, savory, zippy, crunchy, nutty, and aromatic
- Healthy and nutritious salad using whole foods that are high in fiber and naturally gluten-free
- Easy: Prep time is just 20 minutes, with make-ahead instructions provided
- Festive and beautiful salad that is perfect for a holiday table
- Versatile: Depending on the serving size, it works as a light lunch, side salad, or hearty dinner when served with a buttermilk maple biscuit or sourdough discard focaccia with rosemary.
🥗 Ingredient Notes
- Butternut squash - The star of the dish! Packed with potassium, fiber, and vitamin C. Try it in my roasted butternut squash carrot ginger soup!
- Apple cider vinegar - Adds a nice level of tanginess to the dressing.
- Lemon juice - Provides fresh acidity to balance the rich olive oil.
- Baby arugula - Bitter greens are essential to balance out the sweet notes of the salad.
- Red cabbage - Adds a nice crunch and beautiful color.
- Toasted pecans and Parmesan - Provide a nutty crunch and extra saltiness.
📝 Variations & Substitutions
- Squash. Acorn squash or delicata squash can be substituted for the butternut squash.
- Shallots. You can use ¼ of red onion or yellow onion in place of shallots.
- Greens. Use your favorite greens in place of arugula. Spinach and kale would both work great.
- Vinegar. White wine vinegar or red wine vinegar can replace the apple cider vinegar.
- Nuts. Use your favorite nut, like hazelnuts, walnuts, or cashews.
- Make dairy-free/vegan: Use a plant-based cheese or omit it completely.
- Add additional sweetness and texture by using sliced apples or dried cranberries. Or add a tangy crunch by incorporating quick pickled red onions.
- If you are serving this salad for a holiday meal, make it that much more festive by topping it with these spiced candied nuts.
🔪 How To Make Roasted Squash Salad
Roast squash and shallots: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place squash halves on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place shallot halves on a piece of foil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Tightly seal foil around the shallots and place on baking sheet with squash. Roast squash for 40-50 minutes, until flesh is fork tender. Remove shallots after 30 minutes.
Make dressing: In a blender or food processor, whiz warm shallots with apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, smashed garlic, mustard, and cayenne. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in ½ cup olive oil and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Peel, seed, and slice squash: Using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, peel skin from roasted squash (make sure it is cool enough to handle or wear gloves). Use a spoon to remove seeds from each squash half. Slice flesh into thin (¼-inch) half-moons.
Assemble salad: In a large bowl, toss arugula with grated cabbage and half of the dressing. Arrange squash slices on top, fanning out slices if you prefer. Sprinkle salad with toasted pecans, Parmesan, and drizzle with another 2 tablespoons of dressing. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- Make ahead: You can roast the squash and shallots (up to 48 hours) ahead of time. When ready to prepare the salad, warm your roasted squash slices in a 350 degree F. oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Storing: Any leftover salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Serve dressing on the side. If you don't plan on eating your salad immediately, I recommend serving the dressing on the side. This way, you can store the dressing in the refrigerator separately, which avoids wilted greens.
- This salad works as 4 main salads or 6 side salads.
- How to serve: Pair it with any holiday side dish, like my easy vegetarian mushroom stuffing or creamy roasted cauliflower soup. And for a show-stopping holiday dessert, serve caramel mixed nut tart!
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
No. I find peeling (and chopping) squash before the step of roasting to be a pain, and is much harder than peeling after roasting. However, you can peel your squash first if you prefer.
In a nutshell, yes. Squash skin is edible, but butternut squash skin is quite fibrous, so it depends on your preference.
You can go sweet (think cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, etc.) or savory (think salty cheeses or herbs like rosemary). There are lots of directions to go with squash!
🍽 More Holiday Recipes
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Roasted Squash Salad with Roasted Shallot Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, halved
- 2 medium shallots, halved lengthwise and peeled
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil + 2 Tablespoons, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 10 ounces baby arugula, rinsed and patted dry
- ½ head red cabbage, grated (2 cups)
- ¾ cup toasted pecans, chopped
- ½ cup Parmesan, chopped or grated
Instructions
- Roast squash and shallots: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place squash halves on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place shallot halves on a piece of foil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Tightly seal foil around the shallots and place on baking sheet with squash.
- Roast squash for 40-50 minutes, until flesh is fork tender. Remove shallots after 30 minutes.
- Make roasted shallot dressing: In a blender or food processor, whiz warm shallots with apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, smashed garlic, mustard, and cayenne. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in ½ cup olive oil and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Peel, seed, and slice squash: Using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, peel skin from roasted squash (make sure it is cool enough to handle or wear gloves). Use a spoon to remove seeds from each squash half. Slice flesh into thin (¼-inch) half-moons.
- Assemble salad: In a large bowl, toss arugula with grated cabbage and half of the dressing. Arrange squash slices on top, fanning out slices if you prefer. Sprinkle salad with toasted pecans, parmesan, and drizzle with another 2 tablespoons of dressing. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
Notes
- Make ahead: You can roast the squash and shallots (up to 48 hours) ahead of time. When ready to prepare the salad, warm your roasted squash slices in a 350 degree F. oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Storing: Any leftover salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Serve dressing on the side. If you don't plan on eating your salad immediately, I recommend serving the dressing on the side. This way, you can store the dressing in the refrigerator separately, which avoids wilted greens.
- This salad works as 4 main salads or 6 side salads.
- How to serve: Pair it with any holiday side dish, like my easy vegetarian mushroom stuffing or creamy roasted cauliflower soup. And for a show-stopping holiday dessert, serve caramel nut tart!
Erin
This is the first recipe I've made from your blog and I had to let you know how much I enjoyed this salad! I bought cubed squash so I didn't have to deal with roasting a whole squash, and I used spinach as my greens. The roasted shallot dressing in particular is amazing! Thanks for a great recipe!
Gastronotherapy
Hey thanks, Erin! Yes, using pre-cut squash is a huge time-saver and I do it often. I do love that roasted shallot dressing! And you are very welcome! 🙂