This Roasted Squash Salad tastes so good that you may not realize how good it is for you. Acorn Squash is a powerhouse with one of the highest amounts of Vitamin A and polyphenolic compounds (which the body converts to Vitamin A). It is also a great source of Vitamin C, providing about 30% of the daily requirement in one serving. Butternut is rich in B vitamins like folate, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamin, and many minerals like iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and phosphorous.
When you combine this veggie with the flavors of cinnamon and honey, you’ll be amazed that such flavor could come from a squash! In this Roasted Squash Salad recipe, we are using our rich Buckwheat Honey.
Once you roast the Acorn Squash, serve it on top of your favorite salad of bitter greens, add a few pomegranate seeds, pecans and our very famous honey vinaigrette.
How to make Roasted Squash Salad
- Gather all ingredients needed for this recipe. This recipe only requires a handful of ingredients. You’ll need your favorite squash, honey, oil, butter, salt, ginger, and cinnamon.
- First, clean, peel and deseed the squash. I love using a grapefruit spoon for this task, it has just enough of an edge to take the seeds and pulp away from the meat of the squash without making the surface ugly. Next cut the squash into 1/2 inch cubes.
- Blanch the squash by adding it to boiling water for 6 minutes, remove from boiling water, rinse with cold water, drain and dry.
- Toss squash with oil and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees until tender and beginning to turn golden brown. It will take about 20 minutes. Turn about every 7-8 minutes.
- Mix butter, honey, salt, ginger, and cinnamon. Remove squash from the oven and toss with honey mixture and serve.
- Serve on top of your favorite salad. You can also serve this roasted squash as a side dish to your favorite protein.
Adapting This Salad:
You know, a recipe is not truly perfect until you’ve added your own touch to it. That’s why we encourage you to play with your food. Let your inner chef come out and play and change up this recipe. You really can’t mess this up. Have fun! Here are some ideas:
- Pick your favorite protein: chicken breast, salmon or poached eggs to turn it into a complete meal.
- Swap out any seasonal fresh produce
- Top with pepitas (raw green pumpkin seeds) or toasted pecans
- Serve with Carrot Ginger Soup for a complete meal
Roasted Squash Salad
Ingredients
- 5 c Butternut or Acorn Squash wash with vegetable brush and peel as much of outer layer as possible
- 1/2 tbsp. Coconut oil or Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. Butter
- 1 tbsp. Waxing Kara Honey
- Pinch Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Ginger fresh or dried
- 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
Instructions
- Clean, peel and deseed the squash then cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- Blanch the squash. Add to boiling water for 6 minutes, remove from boiling water, rinse with cold water, drain
- Toss squash with oil and place on Cookie Sheet. Bake at 375 till tender and beginning to turn golden brown. About 20 minutes. Turn about every 7-8 minutes
- Mix butter, honey, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Remove squash from the oven and toss with honey mixture and serve.
- Serve on top of your favorite salad.
Nutrition
Try honey roasted squash on other salads too. This spinach salad would also be delicious with this squash on top.
Recipe by Joyce C Wallace, RN, Certified Health Coach. Joyce is a health advocate, avid gardener and passionate cook. She recently published a book, Navigating the Food Jungle filled with delightful recipes that are also good for you.
Joyce grows so much squash, I try this recipe with each of them every year. The surprising truth is the taste from squash to squash is pretty similar!