Are you looking for new salad ideas? This Roasted Delicata Squash Fall Salad combines fruit and vegetables, sharp cheese, and sweet nuts together. With slightly spiced, roasted squash and fresh berries; even the maple vinaigrette calls us with its Autumnal feeling.
The Roasted Delicata Squash Fall Salad is perfect for any fall day or for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of favorite holidays. We’re always looking for new side dishes or salads for the feast. Even if you don’t celebrate this holiday, we hope you’ll enjoy this delicious Roasted Delicata Squash Fall Salad with Maple Vinaigrette, GF.
This salad has all the savory and sweet flavors. Also, with skin on Delicata squash, you’ll get added fiber. Sprinkled with chili powder and Aleppo pepper, the squash also hits the slightly spicy realm. Feel free to add more spice as desired, of course. Drizzled or sprayed with olive oil or vegetable oil and gently roasted at 425 degrees gives the squash rich colors. The squash itself is so delicate and so pretty with its skin on, sliced in rounds for this salad.
Fresh berries in the salad ~ or substitute dried fruit
Fresh blueberries that are enjoyed year round here, are such a treat! However, in some areas, you may not be able to get these berries or be able to get them fresh. You can omit them, of course, or substitute another berry or dried berries, raisins, or other dried fruit even. Dried apricots might be a nice substitute, perhaps cut thinly in slices.
Sante Nuts is a great gluten free choice
For the candied pecans I like to use a GF brand, such as Sante Nuts. You can find them in stores or online. They have a complete line of gluten free nuts to choose from. Although, I think the sweet pecans are especially yummy and pretty on this salad. Be sure to omit the nuts if there are any nut allergies in the house. Or at very least keep in a separate bowl in a separate location if possible so no contamination will likely occur.
You might also choose to make your own gluten free candied nuts, as in my recipe for Spiced Sugared Mixed Nuts.
What cheese to use?
For cheese in the Roasted Delicata Squash Fall Salad, I choose an aged gouda cheese. Old Amsterdam Premium Aged Gouda is a delicious choice, with some nice crystallization in it and wonderful sharp flavor, yet still easy to slice or cut into cubes. This cheese is typically aged about 8-10 months, using dairy from the Netherlands. It has a somewhat nutty flavor. It’s so good to just eat with crackers or a sliced apple, enjoy on a charcuterie or cheese board with a full bodied wine, or add to macaroni and cheese or even a flatbread.
I hope you enjoy our fall salad!
~Laura
Roasted Delicata Squash Fall Salad (Gluten Free)
Equipment
- 1 stone pan or baking tray
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 Delicata squash, skin on, sliced to 1/4" thick, seeds and pulp removed from inside the rounds
- olive oil or vegetable oil, or spray
- ¼-½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, gf or crushed red pepper, gf use more for more spice
- ¼ teaspoon Guajillo chili powder, gf or other chili powder
- salt and pepper
- 5-6 oz, spring mix or mixed greens
- ¾ cup blueberries
- ¾ cup baby tomatoes, cut in half
- 1-2 small cucumbers,cut in half and sliced
- ⅓ cup Sante Candied Pecans or other gf brand
- 2-4 oz. Old Amsterdam Premium Aged Gouda or other aged gouda cheese
- ⅛ cup sliced green or red onion
Maple Vinaigrette
- ⅛ cup balsamic vinegar
- ⅛ cup water
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, gf
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ¼ cup olive oil or avocado oil
- ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme, gf
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Set the squash on lightly oiled parchment. Spray with oil. Sprinkle with chili powder, Aleppo pepper, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes minutes in a 425-degree oven, turning at halfway mark. Set aside to cool.
- To a large bowl, add the spring mix, then cooled squash rounds in a line or pattern.
- Add the blueberries, tomatoes, and onions around the squash. Then the cheese. Top with pecans and drizzle with the dressing. Or allow people to dress their own individual salads.
Maple Vinaigrette
- Add the ingredients together in a jar or glass measure and whisk, or cover the jar and shake to combine.