Fall Salad with Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette

I love seasonal salads with loads of fun toppings and light but bright dressings. This salad is perfect for fall. The tahini lemon dressing packs tons of flavor while the squash and goat cheese balance out the tang with sweetness. Then the pomegranate seeds and sliced almonds make for an extra-flavorful crunch.

This is perfect to make alongside a main dish that also uses butternut squash, like my pumpkin risotto. If using a three pound squash, about two thirds of the squash goes into the risotto, while the remaining squash goes into the salad.

Once the squash is prepared, everything else comes together in minutes.

Print Recipe

Fall Butternut Squash Salad

Butternut squash, pomegranate, goat cheese, and almond salad tossed with a lemon tahini vinaigrette.

Course

Side Dish

Keyword

Fall, Goat cheese, lemon, Pomegranate, Salad, Tahini

Servings

Ingredients

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Greens and Toppings

• 1 cup butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 6 cups mixed greens
• 2 ounces goat cheese crumbled
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds toasted (in pan or over)

Course Side Dish Keyword Fall, Goat cheese, lemon, Pomegranate, Salad, Tahini Servings Ingredients Dressing 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons tahini 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper Greens and Toppings 1 cup butternut squash 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 6 cups mixed greens 2 ounces goat cheese crumbled 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds 1/4 cup sliced almonds toasted (in pan or over)

Instructions

Bake Squash

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cut butternut squash into even bite-size pieces. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on squash and toss with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to evenly coat. Lay squash on even layer of sheet pan and roast for about 30 minutes, or until squash is tender.

Make Dressing

1. Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper

Assemble Salad

1. A couple tablespoons at a time, toss dressing with mixed greens. Once greens are dressed, add roughly two thirds of the toppings and combine with greens and dressing. Sprinkle remaining toppings on salad and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

When I make this recipe, I use about a three-pound squash, seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Although this recipe only calls for 1 cup of squash, the remaining squash can be used for another recipe or just eaten on its own.