Lots of ingredients go into this salad, but the flavors meld wonderfully to produce a flavorful salad that can stand up to a hearty first course. It can also be made vegan by serving the feta on the side.
With the squash and pomegranate seeds, this is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner or any fall special occasion dinner.
By using your broiler you can toast the squash a little bit more than I did so it’s crispy. Don’t worry about having to peel the squash, the rind softens right up when it is roasted.
Looking for a hearty green salad, but not this one? Consider these:
Delicata Squash Salad
This salad can be served in a menu with multiple dietary restrictions, just serve the feta cheese and/or pistachios on the side if you need to keep it dairy-free and/or tree nut-free. If it does not need to be gluten-free, you can use soy sauce instead of the coconut aminos as well.
Ingredients
Maple Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salad
- Salad
- 1 ½ lbs delicata squash about 2
- 1 ½ Tbsp avocado oil
- kosher salt to taste
- ½ lb arugula
- â…“ cup pistachios
- 4 oz feta cheese
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Add oil and kosher salt to a large bowl, set aside.
- Wash the delicata squash rind, but don't peel them. Cut the squash in half, length wise and trim off the ends. Scoop out all of the seeds and stringy bits. Cut into ½" thick half-moons and transfer to the bowl with oil and salt. Mix thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
- Transfer squash slices to prepared baking sheets in a single layer, leaving room in between each piece to allow them to crisp up slightly.
- Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you'd like them a bit more well done, turn the oven to a low broil for a couple of minutes afterwards. Set aside to slightly cool.
- While the squash is roasting, combine all of the maple vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl until creamy throughout and set aside.
- Combine the rest of the salad ingredients together on a platter or in a large serving bowl. Add delicata squash and stir to combine. Top off with maple vinaigrette or serve on the side. Taste for additional salt and pepper.
Notes
If you need to keep the salad dairy-free, serve the feta cheese on the side so guests can add it as desired. Do the same with the pistachios if you need to accommodate a tree-nut allergy. The recipe calls for coconut aminos as this will keep it gluten-free. If you don’t need it gluten-free, you can use soy sauce instead.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 204kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 432mgPotassium: 504mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1917IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 150mgIron: 1mg
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