This colorful Beet and Butternut Squash Salad is a beautiful salad that's perfect for the fall and winter months! Roasted butternut squash and beets are mixed with leafy greens + topped with creamy goat cheese & pumpkin seeds. Everything is topped with a delicious maple dijon dressing! Meal prep it for lunch or bring it to a gathering for everyone to enjoy. 😊
As a dietitian, fall is my favorite time of year for cooking, and I love a good beetroot salad and all the squash that comes with the season. This salad recipe is the perfect combination of both! Loaded with fall flavors & nutrition including dietary fiber to support a healthy gut, heart healthy fats, antioxidants, and vitamin C and A!
Add balsamic chicken or smoked paprika salmon and brown rice for an easy healthy lunch or light dinner in the fall, or bring it as an impressive winter salad for the holidays, Thanksgiving, or Friendsgiving!
More Healthy Salad Recipes
- Kale & White Bean Salad
- Asian Crunch Salad
- Harvest Kale Salad
- Pear & Arugula Salad
- Beet Salad with Arugula & Goat Cheese
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Salad (Greek)
- Simple Mixed Greens Salad
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution Ideas
This easy beet butternut salad is made with some of my favorite ingredients! Below are some notes. Be sure to check the recipe card for ingredient measurements.
Salad Ingredients
- Beets -you'll roast fresh beets for this recipe and can use either red beets or golden beets! Beets are in season in late summer and fall but you can find them year-round. Nutritionally, beets contain fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and a plant compound called betalains that gives beets their vibrant color. Beets also contain nitrates, a nutrient that breaks down to nitric oxide in the body and has been shown to dilate blood vessels and can help decrease blood pressure and improve athletic performance.
- Butternut Squash - Butternut squash is the other main ingredient in this salad. It’s the sweetest winter squash variety and great for salads! This recipe calls for diced butternut squash so you can either dice it yourself or save time by purchasing precut butternut squash. To choose a ripe butternut squash, pick one that's heavy for its size.
- Fresh Thyme - fresh thyme adds fall flavor. You can add sage leaves or rosemary too if you'd like. If you want to use dried herbs, use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - you'll use olive oil for the roasted beets and squash. Avocado oil works here too.
- Leafy Greens - spicy arugula or mixed greens both work great for this recipe.
- Pumpkin Seeds - roasted & salted crunchy pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds) add a salty, crunchy component. If you prefer, feel free to substitute with sunflower seeds or crunchy walnuts.
- Goat Cheese - soft goat cheese is creamy and decadent and pairs great with roasted veggies. You can find it near the delicatessen with the other cheeses at grocery stores. Goat cheese also provides some protein, calcium, and phosphorus. If you don't like goat cheese, a salty cheese like tangy feta cheese, shaved parmesan cheese, or tangy blue cheese are good alternatives.
- Optional: Pomegranate Seeds - to add a bit more color and sweetness, add pomegranate arils! If you prefer, chopped dates or dried cranberries are a great addition.
- Seasonings - garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper add flavor to the roasted veggies.
Dressing Ingredients
You can use a store-bought Balsamic Vinaigrette for this fall salad. But if you want to make a homemade Maple Balsamic dressing, here are the ingredients you will need.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - extra virgin olive oil is olive oil in it’s purest form (least processed) so it retains all the antioxidants and nutrients from the olive itself. If accessible, I suggest using high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste. Olive oil is high in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that can reduce inflammation and has been shown to improve brain health.
- Balsamic Vinegar - use a balsamic that is aged for best flavor! If you want a lighter flavor and color, you can use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead.
- Maple Syrup - adding a sweetener like maple syrup balances out the other salty and savory flavors in this dressing.
- Dijon Mustard - a little bit of dijon is my favorite way to add some tang and spice to this dressing and it pairs so well with the sweetness of the beets and squash! Feel free to leave it out if you want.
- Garlic - to add flavor.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - to tie all the flavors together.
How to Make Beet and Butternut Squash Salad
Below are the instructions for how to make this simple salad with visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218°C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with olive oil spray. Rinse and peel your beets and butternut squash. Dice them into relatively similar size bite size pieces around 1 inch. Add the butternut squash and beets to the prepared roasting pan. Coat in the olive oil, fresh thyme, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until fork tender.
- Step 2: While the veggies roast, make the maple balsamic dressing by whisking the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or shaking them in a mason jar.
- Step 4: In a large bowl, combine the greens, beets, butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, and pomegranates (if using). Top with half the dressing just before serving and serve with the rest of the dressing on the side.
Hint: be careful when peeling and washing your beets not to stain your hands or clothes!
Dietitian Tip
If you're having this beet & butternut squash salad as a meal, I suggest adding a whole grain or carb that contains fiber and protein. Carb ideas are brown rice, quinoa or couscous and some proteins that pair well with it are chicken, salmon, roasted chickpeas, or steak!
Variations for Beet Salad
The best part about this beet salad is you can customize to your taste! Below are some ideas, but feel free to get creative.
- Apple Beet - add in diced apples for a hint of sweetness to compliment the earthy taste of the beets.
- Brussel Sprout Butternut Squash - roast some brussels sprouts with the butternut squash and beets for even more veggies!
- Different Greens - use dinosaur kale or mixed greens to change it up.
Meal Prep and Storage for Beet and Butternut Squash Salad
- Meal Prep - make your dressing ahead of time so it's ready to go when you want to assemble the salad. You can also chop and even roast the vegetables ahead of time.
- Storage - I suggest storing the salad ingredients separately from the dressing so the salad doesn't get soggy.
- For Salad Base - store leftover salad base in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
- For Salad Dressing - store dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-7 days. It's normal for the oil and vinegar to separate and even solidify a bit in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes and then shake to combine before using it on your recipe.
Expert Tips
- Save time by using pre-roasted beets and/or precut butternut squash.
- Make sure your vegetables are cut into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Finely mince or grate your garlic for the dressing.
- The ingredient flavors in the balsamic vinegar dressing can vary a bit based on brand and variety so taste your dressing once it's mixed and adjust it if needed by adding more salt or syrup.
- Wait to add the goat cheese and dressing right before serving. I suggest either serving the dressing on the side or adding half to the salad and serving the rest on the side so everyone can decide how much they want.
FAQ
While healthy means different things to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. The beets, butternut squash, and greens provide several nutrients including dietary fiber, antioxidants, vitamins A & C, and folate. The extra virgin olive oil used in the dressing provides heart healthy fats and the pumpkin seeds provide additional healthy fats and some plant protein.
Yes, this is a gluten-free option.
For this recipe, I peel the beets before dicing them. Beets are notorious for their bright red juice that can stain things so just be careful not to get the juice on your clothes. I peel them over the sink and then carefully dry them with a paper towel before dicing them.
Related
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Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Beet and Butternut Squash Salad:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Easy Beet and Butternut Squash Salad with Goat Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
For Roasted Beets & Butternut Squash
- 3 cups beets, diced
- 4 cups butternut squash, diced
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (use ½ teaspoon if using fine table salt)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Salad
- 3 cups arugula
- 4 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup goat cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds, roasted & salted
For Maple Balsamic Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1½ tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- pinch kosher salt & black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218°C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with olive oil spray. Rinse and peel your beets and butternut squash. Dice them into relatively similar size bite size pieces around 1 inch.
- Add the butternut squash and beets to the prepared roasting pan. Coat in the olive oil, fresh thyme, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until fork tender.
- While the veggies roast, make the maple balsamic dressing by whisking the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or shaking them in a mason jar.
- In a large bowl, combine the greens, beets, butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, and pomegranates (if using). Top with half the dressing just before serving and serve with the rest of the dressing on the side.
- Hint: be careful when peeling and washing your beets not to stain your hands or clothes!
Notes
- Save time by using pre-cut butternut squash.
- Make sure your vegetables are cut into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Finely mince or grate your garlic for the dressing.
- The ingredient flavors in the balsamic vinegar dressing can vary a bit based on brand and variety so taste your dressing once it's mixed and adjust it if needed by adding more salt or syrup.
- Wait to add the goat cheese and dressing right before serving.
- I suggest either serving the dressing on the side or adding half to the salad and serving the rest on the side so everyone can decide how much they want.
- Meal Prep - make your dressing ahead of time so it's ready to go when you want to assemble the salad. You can also chop and even roast the vegetables ahead of time.
- Storage - I suggest storing the salad ingredients separately from the dressing so the salad doesn't get soggy.
- For Salad Base - store leftover salad base in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
- For Salad Dressing - store dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-7 days. It's normal for the oil and vinegar to separate and even solidify a bit in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes and then shake to combine before using it on your recipe.
Resources: Healthline
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