Thanksgiving Salad

5 from 4 votes

This is the best Thanksgiving salad! It has everything a fall salad needs like butternut squash, cranberries, and goat cheese. Toss it in a cinnamon-spiced vinaigrette and serve it as a side dish to go with your Thanksgiving dinner.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Healthy, Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: chicken salad, goat cheese, pumpkin spice, side dish, spaghetti squash, thanksgiving

Servings: servings

Author: Molly Thompson

Ingredients

Salad

1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch of sea salt
12-16 ounces baby spinach
1-2 honeycrisp apples cored and cubed or thinly sliced
¼ cup dried cranberries
4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
½ cup pecans or candied pecans chopped
1 cup dried apple chips optional

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. If you haven't already, peel the butternut squash, slice it in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seedy center. Cut the butternut squash into 1-inch cubes.
Roast the squash: Spread diced butternut squash on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Toss to coat the butternut squash. Bake for 25-35 minutes, stirring halfway through. The squash will be fork-tender and slightly golden brown on some sides when it's done.
Make the dressing: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.
Assemble: add the spinach to a large serving bowl. Top with the dried cranberries, roasted squash, apples, goat cheese, pecans and dried apples if using.
Toss the salad with reserved salad dressing when ready to serve or leave as is and have guests dress individual servings.

Nutrition