Butternut Squash and Greens Salad with Maple Sunflower Dressing
This beautiful dish is the perfect picture of autumn – the first pickings of baby lettuce leaves from our winter garden bed mixed with long-awaited butternut squash tanned from the summer sun, sprinkled with freshly harvested, spicy sweet garden onions, and topped with hearty walnuts from … umm … from Amazon.
I love the flavor of this salad. Light, yet filling. Simple, yet complex.
And I love the versatility of butternut squash. From soups, to stir-fries, to scrambles, to a simple roasted side, this naturally-sweet vegetable puts its best foot forward every time.
How to Peel and Cut a Butternut Squash
Some people shy away from preparing hard-shelled squash, because it can seem like a lot of work to get it peeled and cut. But it’s really quite easy. Check out my step-by-step tutorial here.
How Many Cups Does an Average Butternut Squash Yield?
Many recipes call for butternut squash by the pound, so it can be helpful to know how many cups of cubed squash one butternut will yield.
The average butternut squash weighs in at about 2 to 3 lbs. After peeling, removing the seeds, and dicing your squash, you should have about 4 cups of cubed squash. Of course, if your squash is smaller, you will get less cubed squash, and if your squash is bigger, you’ll get more.
Butternut Squash and Greens Salad with Maple Sunflower Dressing
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 medium medium butternut squash, cut into small (1/2- to 3/4-inch) cubes - (about 4 cups) How to cut a butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons granulated onion
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch dried rubbed sage
- 7 cups (about 6 ounces) salad greens
- 1 small sweet onion, sliced thin
- 1 cup toasted walnuts - chopped
Maple Sunflower Dressing
- 3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated onion
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- extra pure maple syrup for drizzling if desired
Instructions
- Roast or sauté squash. (See instructions below.)
- Meanwhile make dressing. Place seeds, lemon juice, maple syrup, water, granulated onion, and salt in blender. (A heavy-duty blender works best for this recipe; other blenders may not get the mixture smooth enough.) Blend until very smooth and creamy.
- Distribute greens onto four plates or in a large serving bowl.
- When squash is done, allow to cool slightly.
- Distribute squash over greens, top with onions and walnuts, and drizzle with Maple Sunflower Dressing.
- Serve.
Sautéing Instructions:
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add cubed butternut squash and stir well to coat with oil. Place lid on pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 10 minutes, removing lid occasionally to stir. I use a rigid flat spatula (pancake turner) to make sure squash doesn’t stick to pan.
- Add seasonings and 1/4 cup water and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes.
Roasting Instructions:
- Drizzle olive oil over squash and mix until all pieces are coated evenly. Stir in seasonings.
- Distribute single layer onto baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until pieces are tender and lightly browned on edges. Baking time will vary depending on age of squash and size of squash pieces.
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This looks like a dish that could be served for Thanksgiving. Adding some dried cranberries would add a bit of sweetness and color. I’m going to try that. Thanks for the great recipe.
It looks nice. Definitely I will try it soon!