Roasted acorn squash salad is a must for Thanksgiving or even as a side for a fall dinner, especially drizzled with creamy maple dressing!
I absolutely love eating seasonally, and we’ve been eating a lot of squash and pomegranate seeds in the Byrd house lately.
So naturally, I was inspired to create a healthy salad recipe using acorn squash, pomegranate seeds, hazelnuts, lots of greens, and a homemade creamy maple dressing.
The results were absolutely amazing, and this roasted acorn squash salad recipe is perfect for fall and is going to be a must for a Thanksgiving side dish, too!
But first, let’s talk about how to make this tasty cold acorn squash salad!
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What does acorn squash salad taste like?
Because there are just a few delicious toppings in this salad recipe, the flavors really dominate and shine through! Squash in a salad makes for a delicious and seasonal side dish recipe that your family will love!
This acorn squash salad is sweet, a little salty, fresh, tart, light, creamy, and just so delicious! It’s the best salad I think I’ve ever made!
Ingredients
Acorn squash – It wouldn’t be acorn squash salad without acorn squash! SThis winter squash is full of vitamin A, potassium, and fiber, making it a really healthy salad topping!
Avocado oil – My go-to healthy cooking oil, you’ll use it in both the maple dijon dressing and the roasted acorn squash.
Maple syrup – This natural sweetener adds a lot of flavor to the salad dressing, and you’ll want to use a little bit to flavor your acorn squash, too!
Cinnamon – Fall calls for cinnamon, and it pairs so nicely with the acorn squash!
Sea salt – Use a tiny bit on the acorn squash, and a little bit in the maple dressing, too. A little bit goes a long way, especially if you’re trying to watch your salt intake.
Apple cider vinegar – Another fall flavor that adds depth and a little tartness to the maple dressing.
Dijon mustard – This ingredient helps to make the homemade salad dressing a little creamy, and gives it another delicious flavor!
Raw hazelnuts – Hazelnuts, also called Filberts here in Oregon, are huge where I’m from. There are old hazelnut orchards everywhere here, so I had to make a fall recipe featuring them! Start with whole, raw hazelnuts, then toast them on the same baking sheet that you’re roasting your acorn squash on.
Mixed greens – A combination of baby spinach, arugula, and baby kale leaves is the perfect base for this salad.
Dried cranberries – These add a little bit of sweetness and more texture to this winter squash salad.
Pomegranate seeds – One of my favorite fall and winter fruits, pomegranate seeds are so beautiful in this recipe, and add a lot of color, freshness, and sweetness, too!
Parmesan cheese shavings – Finishing your salad with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese shavings brings out some saltiness and cheesiness that pairs so well with the other flavors in this winter squash salad.
Substitutions
Acorn squash – Butternut squash, delicata squash, or other winter squash would work just fine in this recipe. If you use butternut squash, you need to peel it either before or after you roast it, as the skin is not edible.
Avocado oil – The only other oil I would recommend using is olive oil. Olive oil is also heart-healthy and is great for salad dressings. However, it may change the flavor of your dressing slightly.
Maple syrup – You can use honey or agave in place of the maple syrup in the salad dressing, but the taste will obviously be a little different.
Apple cider vinegar – Red wine vinegar, regular white vinegar, or even balsamic vinegar are great substitutions for the maple salad dressing.
Raw hazelnuts – You can completely omit these if you are allergic to nuts or hazelnuts. Or, you can substitute walnuts or macadamia nuts instead.
Dried cranberries – Raisins, craisins, dried blueberries, or dried cherries would work perfectly in this roasted squash salad. However, make sure to watch the added sugar content, and try to find an unsweetened product if you can.
Parmesan cheese shavings – To make this recipe completely vegan, omit the cheese or substitute in a plant-based cheese alternative.
Instructions
- Cut the ends off your acorn squash, then slice it in half, and core it with a spoon.
- Slice the acorn squash into 1/2 inch slices and set in a medium bowl.
- Toss the sliced squash in oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, and sea salt until well coated.
- Spread evenly on a lined sheet pan, and bake for 15-16 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the maple dressing. Mix together oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and salt in a jar and set aside.
- After the 15-16 minutes is done, add hazelnuts to the sheet pan, and bake for 3 more minutes.
- Allow your squash and hazelnuts to cool, then assemble your salad with greens, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and parmesan cheese shavings. Drizzle the maple dressing over the salad, and serve!
Storage
The best way to store this salad recipe is to store the salad separately from the dressing. If you pour all the dressing on the salad and then try to save it, it will end up soggy and not so good.
When I make this recipe ahead of time, I assemble the acorn squash salad, then cover it and store it in the fridge. But, I leave the dressing in its own separate container until I’m ready to serve. The dressing will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, the assembled salad will keep for about 3 days in the fridge if covered tightly.
Tips & FAQ
Acorn squash is creamy, a little earthy and nutty, and slightly sweet too. It has a mild flavor and is similar to other winter squashes like butternut.
No, you don’t have to peel acorn squash before you roast it. The peel is actually edible, so you don’t need to do so. However, if you don’t like eating the peel, it’s much easier to cut the peel off after you’ve roasted the acorn squash.
No, they are different, but they are similar! Butternut squash is shaped more like a gourd or bulb and is usually light orange or yellow. Acorn squash can be easily identified because it is dark green with some orange spots, and is shaped more like an acorn! You can eat roasted acorn squash without peeling it, but you shouldn’t try to eat butternut squash peel.
Acorn squash is very healthy and is high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin A. It’s also very high in antioxidants, making it great for reducing inflammation and cancer prevention!
Nutritional Info
This winter squash salad has a ton of nutrients, fresh ingredients, and lots of fiber and vegetables that make for one healthy Thanksgiving or fall side dish!
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 392 calories
- Protein: 7 grams
- Sodium: 546 mg
- Carbohydrates: 32 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:
- 1 medium acorn squash: $1.09
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tsp avocado oil: $1.65
- 3 tbsp maple syrup: $0.36
- ½ tsp cinnamon: $0.01
- 1 tsp sea salt: $0.01
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar: $0.05
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard: $0.03
- ½ cup raw hazelnuts: $1.19
- 6 cups mixed greens: $2.98
- ½ cup dried cranberries: $0.46
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds: $0.98
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shavings: $1.07
The total to make this roasted squash salad recipe comes out to be about $9.89 or roughly $1.65 per serving!
What goes with acorn squash salad?
Acorn squash salad goes perfectly with a Thanksgiving dinner spread, but can also be paired with other dinner recipes:
- Dutch Oven Chicken and Vegetables
- Turkey Pesto Sandwich
- Instant Pot Beef Vegetable Soup
- Dutch Oven Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker Rump Roast
Other fall recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below! I would really appreciate your feedback!
Recipe
Acorn Squash Salad with Maple Dressing
Ingredients
For the Acorn Squash
- 1 medium acorn squash
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
Creamy Maple Dressing
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp sea salt
For the Salad
- ½ cup raw hazelnuts
- 6 cups mixed greens
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shavings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°. Cut the ends off your acorn squash, then slice it in half, and core it with a spoon.
- Slice the acorn squash into 1/2 inch slices and set in a medium bowl. Toss the sliced squash in oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, and sea salt until well coated.
- Spread evenly on a lined sheet pan, and bake for 15-16 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the maple dressing. Mix together oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and salt in a jar and set aside.
- After the 15-16 minutes is done, add hazelnuts to the sheet pan, and bake for 3 more minutes.
- Allow your squash and hazelnuts to cool, then assemble your salad with greens, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and parmesan cheese shavings. Drizzle the maple dressing over the salad, and serve!
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Acorn squash salad with homemade maple dressing is going to be making an appearance at every Thanksgiving gathering in my family from now on! I can’t wait for you to make it!
xoxo Megan
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