Cozy Autumn Harvest Salad
A delightful and quick fall harvest salad featuring roasted butternut squash, bow tie pasta, crunchy pumpkin seeds, creamy goat cheese, and a vibrant maple-lime dressing. Perfect for a weeknight meal or a festive gathering.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Medium bowl
- Small bowl
- Large bowl
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 lb butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for roasting squash
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz bow tie pasta
- 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- 8 oz baby spinach
- 4 oz goat cheese crumbled
- 0.5 cup dried cranberries
For the Maple-Lime Dressing
- 0.33 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 0.25 cup maple syrup pure, dark recommended
- 1 small lime juice of
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- While squash is roasting, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and lime juice in a small bowl until smooth and emulsified to make the dressing.
- Cook bow tie pasta according to package directions. Drain well and rinse with cold water.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, roasted butternut squash, toasted pumpkin seeds, baby spinach, crumbled goat cheese, and dried cranberries.
- Drizzle the maple-lime dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
The salad is delicious served warm or chilled. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, but it's recommended to keep the dressing separate until serving.