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Butternut Squash Salad

By Holly Darnell, RD

October 30, 2026

When it gets colder that doesn't mean that salads need to be off the menu, especially with this warming butternut squash salad recipe. It works as a light lunch or as an appetizer before your dinner, even for a dinner party if you're being truly ambitious.

Over the butternut squash salad, you will drizzle a Dijon dressing that uses cider vinegar. One bowl is a hearty 336 calories, with 18 grams of carbohydrates, 29 grams of healthy fats and 4 grams of protein. It's also very high in vitamins A and K. Let's get to it.

Key ingredients

This butternut squash salad includes the best go-to ingredients that make it especially delicious: cooked butternut squash, walnuts, dried cranberries and goat cheese.

The incredible nutritional value of butternut squash is difficult to overstate, and butternut squash calories are very low considering how filling it can be. With over four times the recommended daily value of vitamin A in just one serving, it’s considered one of the top vitamin A foods.

In addition, it offers over half the recommended intake of vitamin C, an impressive list of other vitamins and minerals, and loads of dietary fiber.

Walnuts are calorie dense, but they also come packed with healthy fats, antioxidants and minerals. According to studies, eating walnuts can help support your mood, considering they contain one of the highest amounts of omega-3 fats of any nut.

Dried cranberries contain less natural sugar than raisins and are loaded with antioxidants. They provide just the right blend of sweet and sour to this salad alongside their funny chewy texture.

Goat cheese is key to this salad in order to complete the flavor profile. It also provides healthy fats and is an easier to digest food compare to cow's milk cheeses.

How to make a butternut squash salad

First, you will cook the butternut squash by preheating the oven to 425. Peel the skin of the butternut squash, or carefully cut the skin off with a sharp knife. Cube the squash and then place in a small bowl.

Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on the baking sheet, perhaps covered with parchment paper. Roast for 25–30 minutes or until tender and browned around the edges.

While the squash is roasting, make the Dijon dressing. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, diced shallot, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, sea salt and black pepper until well combined. 

Remove the butternut squash from the oven and let cool. Then assemble the salad: add the arugula, half of the butternut squash, walnuts, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and one-third of the dressing. Toss lightly and then add in remaining squash.

Top with additional toppings and drizzle with more dressing if desired. Serve immediately, perhaps with our mushroom risotto or a slice of our homemade chicken pot pie.

More healthy bowl recipes

• Winter sweet potato bowl

• Quinoa bowl

• Liver and onions bowl

Recipe developed by Holly Darnell, RD. Holly is a registered dietitian nutritionist who unlocked self-love at the intersection of exceptional food and practical solutions for healthy living. She’s passionate about helping others make simple, positive lifestyle changes on their individual path to healing.