This is the best Thanksgiving salad! It has everything a fall salad needs like butternut squash, cranberries, kale and goat cheese. Toss it in a cinnamon spiced vinaigrette and serve as a side dish to go with your Thanksgiving dinner.
I don't know about you, but I LOVE a salad as a side dish to go with my Thanksgiving dinner. Having something fresh and crunch to go along with all the carbs brightens my meal. And this one has it all!
Ingredients for the best Thanksgiving salad:
- Roasted butternut squash
- Brussels sprouts
- Kale
- Walnuts
- Apples
- Cranberries
- Goat cheese
How to dice and roast butternut squash:
The most time consuming part of this recipe is the roasted butternut squash. You can buy pre-peeled and chopped squash, but doing it yourself saves money!
Start by peeling the squash using a potato peeler. Next, make sure you have a sharp knife and cut off the ends. Cut the squash down the middle lengthwise then scoop out the seeds. Cut the butternut squash into small, bite-sized pieces.
To roast the butternut squash, toss with salt and olive oil then bake on a large sheet at 450°F for 30-45 minutes.
How to prep this recipe in advance:
The best Thanksgiving recipes are the ones you can make or prep in advance! Here's how to prepare this thanksgiving salad recipe a couple days before:
- roast the butternut squash and store in an air-tight container
- Toast the walnuts and store in a small bag
- Chop the brussels sprouts and kale and store in a large, covered salad bowl
- Make the salad dressing in a small jar and store in the fridge
Toss all of the prepped ingredients with the brussels and kale with the goat cheese, cranberries and dressing then serve!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, don't forget to follow me on Instagram and tag me with @what_mollymade so I can see it and feature you.
More healthy Thanksgiving recipes:
- Best gluten free stuffing
- Autumn pear salad with candied pecans
- Dairy free mashed potatoes
- Gluten free and vegan green bean casserole
- Healthy sweet potato casserole
The best thanksgiving salad
INGREDIENTS
For the salad:
- 3 cups butternut squash cubed into bite-size pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 lb brussels sprouts washed and ends trimmed
- 2 large bunches fresh kale (about 1 ½ pounds) chopped
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
- 1-2 honey crisp apples cored and cubed or thinly sliced
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 4 oz crumbled goat cheese
Spiced apple cider vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread diced butternut squash on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and top with salt. Toss to coat the butternut squash. Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- While the squash is roasting, prepare the spiced apple cider vinaigrette. Place all of the ingredients in a medium sized mason jar and close the lid. Shake well until thoroughly mixed, about 30 seconds - 1 minute. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
- Next, toast the walnuts. Heat in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes to release the oils and create a nutty flavor. Remove from heat and set aside.
- When the butternut squash is done roasting, assemble the salad. To shave the brussel sprouts, place them in the bowl of a food processor and blend on high for 10-20 seconds. Other ways to shred them include thinly slicing them with a knife or using a mandoline (be careful!).
- Add the brussels sprouts to a large bowl then add the chopped kale, roasted butternut squash, toasted walnuts, honeycrisp apple, dried cranberries and goat cheese.
- Toss the salad with reserved salad dressing when ready to serve.
Nutrition
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