Can you tell that I just barely had enough light left to photograph this salad? Imagine me in the backyard, trying to stand very still (like, don’t-breathe still) over a plate of salad while Cookie chased squirrels away. Click-click-click-click-click-click-click-click, and after all that, I only got a few photos that weren’t blurry.
Granted, I had all weekend to make this salad, but I just had to wait until mid-afternoon on Sunday to get to work on them. I miss long summer days.
At least my cooking efforts were rewarded with one epic fall/winter salad. I modeled it after my current favorite restaurant salad from The Mixx in Kansas City. I went there for a late lunch after my return flight home from NYC and ordered this beaut.
I took notes on the flavors and on how they don’t peel the butternut squash before roasting—a major time saver. Who likes to peel butternut squash? No one! The skin helps the butternut retain its shape while roasting, but I couldn’t tell that I was eating butternut peel.
I also loved the roasted apples in the salad, which lie somewhere between fresh and dried on the flavor/texture spectrum. They’re a little dehydrated and concentrated in tart Granny Smith flavor. It took me a couple of tries to get those right at home. The trick is to roast them just long enough to make them tender, but not so long that they pop open.
The restaurant listed a honey-sage dressing on the chalkboard menu, but I swear, that day, it tasted like a ginger dressing to me. I loved it, so I made a ginger dressing for my homemade version. I also opted to use maple syrup instead of honey, which means that this salad is vegan!
Their salad includes farro, which is my go-to whole grain for salads, but I haven’t been able to find any at my grocery store. I used wheat berries instead, which are very similar but need an extra twenty minutes or so for cooking.
I should warn you that this salad requires some effort, but it’s a fantastic meal-in-a-bowl and leftovers will keep for a couple of days. If you’re in a hurry, you could use some pre-cooked or leftover whole grains and just toast the pecans.
Hearty Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Salad
This hearty fall through winter salad recipe features roasted butternut squash and apples, wheat berries (or your cooked whole grain of choice), arugula and maple-cinnamon pecans, all tossed in an irresistible gingery dressing! This salad is vegan as written and easily made gluten free. Recipe yields 4 main dish servings.
Salad
Cinnamon-maple pecans
Ginger Dressing
- To prepare the wheat berries (if you’re using another grain, cook according to package directions): Combine the rinsed wheat berries with 3 ½ cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, or until the wheat berries are pleasantly tender but still have some chew to them. Drain off excess water, return the wheat berries to the pot and stir in ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside to cool.
- To roast the apples: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line one small and one large baking sheet with parchment paper. On the small sheet, arrange the apple wedges in a single layer. Bake the apple slices on the middle rack for 10 minutes, until they are starting to collapse on themselves but before they have burst open. Let the apple slices cool on the pan before removing.
- Meanwhile, to prepare the squash: Slice off the top and bottom ends of the squash, then slice it in half vertically. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them. Slice the squash into ½″ wide half-moon shapes. Transfer the squash to the large baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss until the squash is lightly coated in oil and sprinkle with salt. Arrange the squash in a single layer and roast for 30 minutes, tossing halfway, until the squash is tender and caramelized on the edges. Set aside to cool.
- To prepare the pecans: In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans until they are fragrant, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Add the maple syrup and a generous pinch of cinnamon and salt and cook, while stirring constantly, until the syrup has condensed and mostly evaporated, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- To prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, ginger, maple syrup, mustard and salt. Whisk until thoroughly blended and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
- To assemble the salad: In a large serving bowl, add the arugula, cooled wheat berries and apple slices. Before you add the butternut, you might want to slice the larger half-moons in half, so they’re more bite-sized, like I did. Add the butternut, dried cranberries and pecans, then drizzle with dressing (you might not need quite all of it). Toss to lightly coat. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe inspired by The Mixx‘s abruzzo squash salad.
Make it nut free: Substitute pepitas for the pecans.
Storage suggestions: This salad is best served immediately, but leftovers should keep well, refrigerated, for a couple of days.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
