What could I use instead of butternut squash?

If you don't have butternut squash or are not a big fan, use sweet potatoes instead. They taste just as good mixed together with the other ingredients.

Does butternut squash need to be peeled before cooking?

You don't technically have to peel the squash before cooking, but you should remove the peel before eating. If you were to make a butternut squash soup (for example), you could cook it with the peel on and remove the squash meat from the peel with a spoon after. But, if you want to eat the squash in cubes, you should remove the peel first, as it'll be difficult to cut into cubes after.

Baby Arugula and Butternut Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Description

Arugula salad with roasted butternut squash, apple, walnuts and cranberries with maple vinaigrette made with cider vinegar and shallot.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Salad

2 cups butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup maple roasted walnuts
1 to 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, dark or amber
4 cups baby arugula
1 medium apple, cored and cubed
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Maple Vinaigrette

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon shallot, finely minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, dark or amber
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Spread the cubes of butternut squash onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with some olive oil and a pinch or two of kosher salt and black pepper. Toss the cubes with your hands to get them all coated. Bake for about 45 minutes or until softened. I like to bake them until they just begin to get a tiny bit of a char on the tops.
Remove the squash from the oven and set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Line a small baking sheet with parchment. Place the walnuts on the baking sheet and toss with just a drizzle of maple syrup and a small pinch of kosher salt. Bake for 5 minutes.
Remove the walnuts and set aside to cool.In a small bowl, whisk the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Set aside.
Compose the salads on two large dinner plates. Begin with the baby arugula, then top with some cubes of the butternut squash, apple, cranberries and the walnuts. Top each salad off with some dressing.

Notes

Make Ahead:

Cook the butternut squash beforehand and store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to serve. You can also whisk together the maple vinaigrette ahead of time and store it in the fridge. If you’re making it a few hours before eating (ex. bringing it to a dinner party), assemble all the salad ingredients together and keep the dressing in a small container on the side. Dress right before serving.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Entree Salad
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 salad
Calories: 324
Sugar: 25 g
Sodium: 476 mg
Fat: 17 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 45 g
Fiber: 11 g
Protein: 8 g