Description
Classic maple salad celebrates autumn’s rich harvest with crisp greens and roasted butternut squash. Maple-lime vinaigrette adds tangy sweetness you’ll enjoy drizzling over each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes
- 8 oz (226 g) baby spinach
- 8 oz (226 g) bow tie pasta
- 4 oz (113 g) goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup (150 g) pumpkin seeds, toasted
- ½ cup (75 g) dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 2 tbsps Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1 small lime, freshly squeezed
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep Workspace: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C), line baking sheet with parchment paper for effortless roasting and cleanup.
- Roast Squash: Distribute butternut squash cubes across sheet, coat evenly with olive oil, salt, and pepper, ensuring golden caramelized edges through strategic spacing during 20-30 minute roasting process.
- Create Dressing: Combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and lime juice in sealed container, whisking vigorously until smooth and integrated.
- Cook Pasta: Boil water and cook bow tie pasta to al dente perfection, immediately cooling under cold water to preserve ideal texture and prevent overcooking.
- Assemble Salad: Layer roasted butternut squash, cooled pasta, pumpkin seeds, baby spinach, crumbled goat cheese, and dried cranberries in expansive serving dish.
- Finish and Serve: Drizzle maple-lime dressing across salad, gently tossing to ensure harmonious flavor distribution, optionally garnishing with fresh thyme leaves before presenting immediately to capture peak taste and textural qualities.
Notes
- Roast with Precision: Space squash cubes evenly on the baking sheet to ensure golden, caramelized edges without steaming or overcrowding.
- Dressing Technique: Shake the maple-lime dressing in a sealed container for smoother blending and easier emulsification of ingredients.
- Pasta Perfection: Immediately rinse cooked pasta with cold water to stop cooking and prevent a mushy texture, maintaining that ideal al dente bite.
- Flavor Balance: Layer ingredients strategically to create a harmonious mix of sweet, tangy, creamy, and crunchy elements in every delightful forkful.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 315
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg