The title of this post is Thanksgiving Leftovers: Roasted Butternut Squash Salad but this salad makes a great side dish for Thanksgiving too. You get both your roasted butternut squash and a nice green salad. Just like the roasted acorn squash recipe I shared a few weeks ago, I just adore this time of year with the fall produce. Although fall squash can be intimating it is really a lot cheaper to buy a whole butternut squash instead of buying the precut version. If you are making a roasted butternut squash dish of Thanksgiving and find yourself with some leftovers, this dish is right up your alley.
Don’t you just love leftovers that don’t taste or look like the original dish? I look forward to you also sharing your favorite Thanksgiving leftover dishes too.
Whether you are using leftovers or making this salad the same day you are serving it, you want to warm up the butternut squash as you are making the salad dressing.
Piled high with yummy spinach, arugula, roasted walnuts and craisins, this salad is going to hit all of your taste buds.
I could have eaten this salad as an entree it was that good. Typically I don’t like a warmed salad but this salad changed my view.
Stuck with leftover cranberry sauce? Be sure to try this Cranberry Pork Chop Recipe. Same yummy cranberry sauce heated up over quick pan seared pork chops.
Did you make too many pumpkin pies? Give your plain pumpkin pies a makeover with this yummy crumble topping pumpkin pie recipe.
If you have any great recipes for leftover Thanksgiving dishes I can’t wait to read them in the comment section. I just love being creative with leftovers.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad fall flavors
- 1 1 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
- olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 ounces baby arugula spinach mix washed and spun dry
- 1/2 cup walnuts halves toasted
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
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Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.
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While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
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Place the arugula/spinach mixture in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
If using leftover roasted butternut squash, simply heat up while you are making your salad dressing.
Adapted from Ina Garten
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Platter Talk says
Butternut squash is our favorite type, so we seldom have any leftovers. Having said that, I now have a new dish to make with it! Thanks.
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
Forget the leftovers, I think this would be a fabulous salad for Thanksgiving, love it!
Kavey says
I love salads featuring warmed butternut squash and baby spinach leaves, so this is right up my street. Not sure we often have leftovers though so would definitely roast a squash from scratch for this!
Lisa | Garlic + Zest says
I made a leftover butternut squash salad for my sister and brother in-law. We didn’t have anything defrosted for dinner and she was going to run to the store to pick up a rotisserie chicken — but I said, “no” we’re going to reinvent our leftovers… I reheated the butternut squash, diced some ham from the night before, added some toasted pecans and doused it with a citrus dressing. It has become everyone’s favorite salad ever since. You just brought back a great memory! Thanks!
Mimi {Creative on the Side} says
This salad sounds really good!!! We are actually planning to make a dish for Thanksgiving that has roasted butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, pecans and maple syrup. Sounds like this might not only give me a way to use any left over ingredients, but it would probably be good using the left overs from that mixed with the arugula and your dressing! A win win! 🙂