Warm Butternut Squash and Arugula Salad Recipe

Name: Warm Butternut Squash Arugula Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 medium butternut squash (peeled and cubed); 2 Tbsps maple syrup; 1/4 cup olive oil (plus 2 Tbsps for roasting squash); 2 tsps salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 3 Tbsps dried cranberries; 3/4 cup apple cider; 2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar; 1/4 cup red onion (diced); 2 tsps dijon mustard; 6 cups arugula; 1/2 cup pecan halves (roasted); 1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese (crumbled)

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Our WARM BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND ARUGULA SALAD RECIPE is a meal in of itself. Peppery arugula paired with a sweet dressing, warm roasted butternut squash and gorgonzola cheese. We top it off with roasted pecans for a taste and texture filled salad.

A salad with arugula, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and blue cheese crumbles is served on a plate. A tray of roasted squash and a container of the salad mix are nearby on a wooden surface.

To me, there is nothing better than a great big old salad. I love all variations of greens paired with delicious homemade dressings. Getting my family to have that same love can be a challenge.

We implement recipes like this one that combines all kinds of tastes and textures to make salad more than just an afterthought. We hope that this recipe will get you on the road to thinking outside of the salad box too.

Ingredients

Like most of our recipes, this one is not all of that complicated. It is just a few easy steps paired with some staple ingredients. Nothing too crazy here.

A salad with roasted orange pumpkin cubes, crumbled blue cheese, and pecans on a bed of arugula, served on a blue and white plate. A plastic container and a black dish are partially visible in the background.

What You’ll Need

Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed.
Honey, olive oil and dijon mustard.
Dried cranberries and pecan halves.
Arugula and gorgonzola crumbles.

See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

Instructions

Lots of chop, mix and assemble. You can totally do a lot of it ahead of time. Be sure and see our post on HOW TO PEEL AND CUT WINTER SQUASH to make the butternut squash prep easier.

Preheat oven to 400°

A person is peeling a butternut squash on a wooden countertop. The squash is held in one hand, while the other hand uses a peeler. Strips of squash peel are on a paper towel. Kitchen items, like a pepper grinder and bottles, are nearby.

Peel a medium butternut squash.

A person is slicing butternut squash on a wooden cutting board. The squash is halved, with seeds visible in one half. A bottle, a bowl, and paper towels are nearby. The person holds a slice while cutting with a knife.

Cut and remove seeds. Cut into bite size cubes.

A person wearing a beige sweater drizzles olive oil over cubed orange vegetables, likely butternut squash, spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. A bottle of olive oil, a pepper grinder, and a bottle of cream are visible nearby on a wooden surface.

Place cubed squash on a sheet pan with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup.

A person is sprinkling salt from a wooden container onto cubed butternut squash spread on a parchment-lined baking tray. The tray is on a wooden countertop next to a bottle of oil and a spice grinder.

Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until browned. Cool slightly. Set aside.

A person wearing a tan sweater holds a measuring cup of orange liquid over a saucepan on a stove. The countertop has a bottle, a wooden trivet shaped like a heart, and chopped red onion.

In a medium saucepan, add apple cider.

A person holds a bottle of apple cider vinegar over a saucepan on a stove. There is a wooden cutting board with a groove pattern on the right and a small pile of chopped vegetables on the bottom right corner.

Mix in apple cider vinegar.

A saucepan is on a stove with a black grate, containing liquid and chopped red onions. To the right, there is a wooden chopping board with a handle, placed on a wooden countertop.

And diced onions. Heat over low to medium heat until it reaches a simmer. Simmer until onions have softened. About 5 minutes.

A hand holds a bottle of Dijon mustard over a saucepan containing a red sauce, positioned on a wooden countertop beside a gas stove with four burners.

Remove from the heat and add dijon mustard.

Person holding a wooden salt container above a saucepan with red sauce and a dollop of mustard on a stovetop. The stove has black grates, and a wooden cutting board is visible on the right. The person's hand is about to add salt to the pan.

Season with salt.

A person wearing a beige sweater is grinding pepper or seasoning into a pot on a wooden countertop. There is a metal whisk nearby, and the pot is next to a stove with visible burners.

And Pepper.

A person uses an immersion blender in a saucepan filled with a brown liquid on a wooden countertop. The stovetop features gas burners on the left. The person wears a beige sweater and a ring. A white paper is partially visible on the counter.

Whisk in olive oil until dressing emulsifies and is creamy.

A person pours a bag of Ocean Spray Craisins, which are dried cranberries, into a saucepan on a stove. The stove's burners are visible, along with a section of a wooden countertop.

Add in dried cranberries and mix well.

A person is placing arugula into a clear bowl from a plastic container on a wooden countertop. A saucepan containing pecans and dried fruit is nearby. A section of a gas stovetop is visible on the left.

In a large salad bowl, add arugula.

A bowl of salad with arugula, pecans, and sliced meat, placed on a wooden countertop. A pot is visible on the left side near a stove, with a trivet in the upper right corner of the counter.

Top with roasted pecans and dressing.

A person holds a red lid over a round glass dish on a wooden cutting board. The stove burners are visible on either side. A wooden trivet is placed nearby on the board. The person wears a brown watch and a beige fleece sweater.

Fix the lid and shake to combine.

Dressing Warm Butternut Squash and Arugula Salad with gorgonzola.

Dress with gorgonzola.

A wooden countertop holds a metal baking sheet with parchment paper and cubed butternut squash. Next to it is a bowl of arugula salad mixed with crumbled cheese and nuts.

If transporting salad, add squash and seal the lid.

A wooden table with a baking sheet of roasted butternut squash cubes on the right. A bowl of arugula salad is on the left, and a hand uses tongs to add squash to a smaller bowl of salad.

To serve, plate salad and top with roasted butternut squash.

A blue plate with an arugula salad topped with roasted butternut squash, pecans, and crumbled cheese. A baking sheet with more squash and a container with additional salad are nearby. A fork is placed beside the plate.

Add more cheese if you desire. This salad goes great with our INSTANT POT BBQ PULLED PORK.

Why Brooke loves this recipe!

Recipes are like antiques. They are meant to be handed down from one generation to another. Each one holding a special memory or nostalgic memory. Here is why we love this one!

Salads do not have to be just lettuce, tomatoes and dressing. You can experiment with flavors and textures as well as mixing warm and cold items together. This salad recipe is a great example of how good a salad can be.

Variations and Substitutions

We like to give you some ideas on how to change our recipes up to make them your own. Listed below are just a few options.

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Squash – in place of butternut, you can use any other woody, winter squash. Acorn, butternut(kobacha) or pumpkin. Turnip roots would also be good here as they sweeten when roasted.
Cheese: Other creamy, crumbly cheeses that would be a good fit here are, feta, gouda and goat cheese. If you wanted to use something you had already, grated parmesan works well too.
Salad Greens: the arugula is perfect to offer balance to all of the sweet components of this salad. A good substitution would be spring mix or even radicchio. Cabbage blends that are sliced for coleslaw work very well too.

Equipment

🔧 I love to share recipes that are no special equipment required but here are a few things that would definitely make this recipe easier!

How to Meal Prep and Store this Warm Butternut Squash Salad

Prepare the salad or the squash ahead of time. If reheating the squash, do so on a sheet pan fitted with parchment in a low heat oven just until warmed through. Dress salad and assemble and serve.

After the squash has cooled, add it and the salad to an airtight container. It will keep for 3 or so days in the refrigerator. Or transfer to smaller jars and take for lunch. For a heartier lunch, try our MIXED SUPER GREENS.

A salad featuring roasted orange squash cubes, arugula, crumbled blue cheese, and pecans is arranged on a blue-patterned plate. The dish is fresh and colorful, with textures ranging from creamy cheese to crunchy pecans.

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A plate with arugula salad topped with roasted butternut squash, blue cheese, and pecans. A larger container is pouring more salad onto the plate. A pan of squash and a box of blue cheese are in the background on a wooden surface.

Warm Butternut Squash Arugula Salad Recipe

Delicious, peppery arugula dressed with a sweet apple cider vinaigrette. Only made better by adding roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, roasted pecans and gorgonzola cheese.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Serving Size

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash peeled and cubed
2 Tbsps maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 Tbsps for roasting squash
2 tsps salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 Tbsps dried cranberries
3/4 cup apple cider
2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup red onion diced
2 tsps dijon mustard
6 cups arugula
1/2 cup pecan halves roasted
1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese crumbled

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Peel and remove the seeds from the squash. Cut into bite size pieces. Place on a parchment lined sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil,2 tablespoons of maple syrup and a little salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 20-25 minutes.
1 medium butternut squash, 2 Tbsps maple syrup, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tsps salt, 1 tsp black pepper
In a medium sauce pan, combine apple cider, apple cider vinegar and onions. Simmer over low to medium heat for 5 minutes or until onions have softened. Remove from heat. Add dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk in remaining olive oil to emulsify. Add in dried cranberries while still warm.
1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tsps salt, 3 Tbsps dried cranberries, 3/4 cup apple cider, 2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup red onion, 2 tsps dijon mustard, 1 tsp black pepper
Place washed arugula in a container that has a lid. Add in pecans and drizzle dressing over. Garnish with crumbled gorgonzola. Place the top on and shake to combine or toss with tongs.
6 cups arugula, 1/2 cup pecan halves, 1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese
Add squash to salad all at once or as you plate it. Dress with more gorgonzola if you like. Enjoy!

See How To Make It!

A salad on a blue plate features arugula, roasted butternut squash cubes, walnuts, and crumbled blue cheese, with a plastic container of salad visible in the background.

🍴 PRO TIP!

Prepare the dressing and salad ahead of time. You can dress this salad before you need it and it will keep refrigerated for a few hours until you are ready to serve.

🗹 RECIPE FAQ’S

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, we like to serve the salad while the butternut squash is warm. You can assemble the salad and dress it before hand. Then, all there is left to do is roast the squash and plate and serve.

How to keep my butternut squash from sticking to the roasting pan?

We like to use parchment paper or even a silicone mat. If you don’t have either of those, feel free to lightly grease your sheet pan. Then stir them carefully about halfway through cooking time to keep them from sticking.

Can I meal prep this salad?

I love a mason jar salad. This is a good one to layer in jars and eat all week long. The arugula should stand up to the dressing for a few days and would be a great light lunch.

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