This acorn squash salad is an easy fall salad recipe with leafy greens and tender roasted squash topped with juicy pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and creamy tahini dressing.
It's been a while since we posted something green, so today I'm sharing one of my favorite fall salad recipes! While our bodies might not be craving salad in the colder months, I do think there's a way to make a delicious salad that is comforting and cozy. The secret? Roasted vegetables! This time, we'e using sweet and nutty acorn squash. This acorn squash salad takes hearty leafy greens and bulks them up with flavorful roasted squash, crunchy pumpkin seeds, creamy tahini dressing and bright pops of ruby-red pomegranate seeds.
Why You'll Love This Acorn Squash Salad Recipe
If you haven't tried acorn squash yet, oh boy you're going to love it! We grew up with acorn squash in the fall and winter and the way my dad used to make it, made me fall in love. He would roast it with some maple syrup and a little salt and pepper, and sheesh. SO GOOD! This method for cooking squash inspired my recipe for stuffed acorn squash.
Acorn squash has a sweet flavor, soft yellow flesh, and lots of magnesium. It tastes amazing tossed in salads, puréed into acorn squash soup, and more tasty fall dishes.
Salad Ingredients
When it comes to this acorn squash salad, I wanted to make sure we're really packing a punch in the ingredient department.
- Kale – We're using baby kale as the base – because honestly, that's what I found at the grocery store – but you can use whatever works best for you. Arugula would be awesome. Spinach would be delicious. Even mixed greens or romaine would work.
- Acorn squash – If you have leftover squash from your holiday meals, this salad is a must!
Then we're going for our mix-ins:
- Pomegranate Seeds – I chose pomegranate seeds because they're now in season, they're naturally sweet, they add a little crunch and they're so pretty.
- Pumpkin Seeds – for me, pumpkin seeds are an underutilized ingredient in my diet, especially with how nutritionally dense they are. They're full of healthy fats, packed with vitamins, protein, as well as zinc, iron, and magnesium.
Which Salad Dressing Should I Use?
You guys know I'm a sucker for a good salad dressing, so today we're whipping one up that is sweet, creamy, tangy and balances this salad out perfectly.
The star of the show? You guessed, it tahini!
It's no secret that I love tahini dressings (have you seen my post about 4 ways to make tahini dressing?!) and this version is my go-to flavor in the fall. It's got apple cider vinegar which is not only detoxifying but also slightly sweet, as well as lemon for brightness, maple syrup for richness and mustard for a little kick. This dressing goes with pretty much everything too, so I suggest you make a triple batch and save it for the rest of the week!
Ways to Serve Acorn Squash Salad
And that pretty much does it. This combo of ingredients really is perfect for fall! I love using warm ingredients in my salads this time of year because it helps the salad feel more cozy and comforting, but it’s also great for your digestion. So add that roasted squash on top of your salad and serve it with more wholesome dinner ideas, like vegan meatloaf and warming ginger and carrot soup.
More Easy Fall Salads to try
- Arugula Fig Salad
- Thai Superfood Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Fall Harvest Mason Jar Quinoa Salad
- Fall Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Chickpea & Quinoa Mason Jar Salad
Roasted Acorn Squash Salad
Ingredients
for the salad:
- 1 acorn squash
- 1 tablespoon oil (or cooking spray)
- 8 cups baby kale/arugula (or green of choice)
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
for the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- Sea salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Cut your acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice into the squash into wedges and add the wedges to a baking tray. Drizzle with oil (or cooking spray) and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Bake on the center rack for 35 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- While the squash is cooking, you can prepare the rest of the salad. In a large bowl, add the greens, pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Once the squash is done roasting, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Transfer to plates and top with 2 – 3 wedges of squash.
Nutrition
