Who says spinach salads are only for spring? Use autumn’s tender crop of fresh spinach and other seasonal vegetables to make this fall salad with roasted butternut squash, apples, cheddar and pecans. This colorful and healthy salad would be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving menu.
Fall Chopped Salad with Spinach, Butternut Squash, Apples & Cheddar
Who says spinach salads are only for spring? Use autumn's tender crop of fresh spinach and other seasonal vegetables to make this fall salad with roasted butternut squash, apples, cheddar and pecans. This colorful and healthy salad would be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving menu.
Ingredients
- 1 small 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 4 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- ½ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 8 cups packed baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1 medium Honeycrisp apple diced
- ½ cup diced sharp Cheddar cheese
- ½ cup toasted chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir 1 1/2 pounds squash, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper together in a large bowl. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring once, until tender, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, 2 teaspoons mustard and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in the large bowl. Add 8 cups spinach, the roasted squash, apple, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 cup pecans. Toss to coat.
Notes
To make ahead
Prepare the butternut squash up to 7 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can toast the pecans 1 week ahead.
