Roasted Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

lunch
SERVES 8
Prep time 15mins
cook time 30mins

A perfect side dish to grace any table, this sophisticated salad pleases the palate with flavours that play off one another artfully – from the juicy, slightly nutty-tasting squash to the distinctively tart goat cheese and the sweet and tangy pomegranate vinaigrette.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 small butternut squash (or pumpkin), peeled and cut into 15mm cubes
  • ½ cup olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ cup pomegranate juice
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans
  • 6 cups preferred salad mix
  • 60g crumbled goat cheese (or feta)
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds

METHOD:

  1. Preheat oven to 220°C.
  2. Toss butternut squash with ¼ cup olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
  3. Spread squash evenly over baking pan, and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through. 
  4. While the squash is roasting, whisk together pomegranate juice, remaining ¼ cup olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Set aside. 
  5. Toast chopped pecans in a small skillet over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes and set aside. 
  6. Remove squash from oven, and allow to cool, about 10 minutes. 
  7. Assemble salad. In a large bowl, toss together the salad mix and squash. 
  8. Top with crumbled goat cheese, pecans, and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with pomegranate vinaigrette and serve.