Roasted Squash Salad with Roasted Shallot Dressing
This roasted squash salad is tossed in an out-of-this-world shallot dressing, and includes crunchy red cabbage, toasted pecans, and 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!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 546kcal
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!
Nutrition
Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 559mg | Potassium: 1331mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 22894IU | Vitamin C: 114mg | Calcium: 421mg | Iron: 4mg