Fig Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash

This Fig Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash is the right fall salad loaded with leafy greens, recent figs, crunchy pecans, and creamy goat cheese all tossed with a wealthy balsamic dressing!

Oh how I like an excellent fall salad this time of yr to stability out all these cozy consolation meals dishes we’re all at the moment having fun with!  This salad is loaded with peppery arugula, candy recent figs, completely roasted butternut squash (with cinnamon!), crunchy pecans, creamy goat cheese and scrumptious pops of dried cranberries all drizzled with a scrumptious maple balsamic dressing.  I do know.  There’s A LOT happening.  However so price it in the absolute best method.  The flavors are unimaginable and I promise this can be a salad you’ll need to add to your menu this season!

Why You’ll Love this Salad

• So many scrumptious flavors and textures on this salad!
• Loaded with seasonal recent fruits and veggies.
• The butternut squash is roasted in cinnamon and cayenne for the right candy and spicy combo.
• This maple balsamic dressing must be a staple in your kitchen this season!
• This salad can be tremendous fairly to take a look at 😉

Substances You’ll Want

• Leafy greens – I like the peppery style of arugula on this salad, however any mixture of leafy greens will work
• Figs – I used recent figs on this salad which style superb with the balsamic dressing!  You could possibly additionally use dried figs, however consider these are typically greater in sugar
• Butternut squash – this makes the salad so filling roasted with heat cinnamon, just a little cayenne, salt and pepper which is my favourite taste combo.  You could possibly additionally roast candy potato or different squash
• Crumbled cheese – I used crumbled goat cheese, however feta, gorgonzola and even blue cheese all would style nice on this salad.  To maintain this vegan, merely omit the cheese altogether or use your favourite vegan possibility
• Pecans – these add a pleasant crunch to the salad and you might additionally use chopped walnuts, almonds or cashews.  My candied maple walnuts would additionally make a scrumptious addition made with maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon!
• Dried cranberries – good little pops of sweetness all through the salad together with some added colour
• Maple Balsamic Dressing – made with a mix of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and recent thyme

How you can Roast Butternut Squash

Roasting butternut squash is tremendous easy and tastes completely scrumptious!  First, you’ll need to peel and slice the butternut squash into 1-inch cubes and toss them in a bowl with olive oil, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper, mixing properly till the squash is evenly coated.  Subsequent, switch the butternut squash cubes onto a sheet pan sprayed with non-stick spray and roast within the oven at 400 levels F for 25 to half-hour, flipping the squash midway via.  The butternut squash is finished when it’s fork tender and beginning to brown.

Maple Balsamic Dressing (the BEST!)

I completely LOVE this maple balsamic dressing and it’s actually what makes this salad so superb!  This dressing is wealthy, tangy and simply made with simply 5 easy components – balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and recent thyme.  Not solely does this dressing style nice on salads, however I like to drizzle it on veggies, use it as a marinade for hen, fish or steak, toss it in pasta salads, and a lot extra.  You can too make this proper in your blender in lower than 5 minutes or easy shake all of it up in a jar!

I all the time make my very own salad dressings proper at residence as a result of I usually have already got all of the components available in my pantry or fridge, it’s budget-friendly and truthfully simply tastes so a lot better than the bottled stuff from the shop.

How you can Make this Salad

1. Roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 400 levels F.  Rigorously peel and slice the butternut squash, chopping it into 1-inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper till fully coated.  Unfold the butternut squash out on a ready baking sheet in a single layer and roast within the oven for about 25 to half-hour, flipping them as soon as midway via.
2. Make the balsamic dressing.  Whereas the squash is roasting, mix all of the components for the maple balsamic dressing in a blender and course of till easy or just whisk collectively every thing in a mason jar till emulsified.
3. Assemble the salad.  Mix the arugula, figs, pecans and dried cranberries in a big bowl and toss with the balsamic dressing. Fold within the roasted butternut squash and sprinkle with goat cheese and recent thyme.  Serve and luxuriate in!

Extra Salad Recipes You’ll Love

Hope you all get pleasure from this Fig Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and if you happen to love this recipe as a lot as we do, please go away me a five-star score beneath and don’t overlook to tag me on Instagram utilizing the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I like seeing all of your scrumptious recreations!