Description
This Fall Salad with Maple‑Lime Dressing is a cozy yet fresh celebration of autumn produce. Featuring roasted butternut squash, bow‑tie pasta, creamy goat cheese, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and a maple-lime vinaigrette, it’s a hearty, wholesome, and beautifully seasonal dish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cubed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- Juice of 1 small lime
- 8 oz bow-tie pasta
- 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- 8 oz baby spinach
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss squash with oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer and roast for 20–30 minutes until caramelized.
- In a jar, combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and lime juice. Shake or whisk until emulsified.
- Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, roasted squash, spinach, goat cheese, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds.
- Add dressing gradually and toss gently to coat.
- Top with thyme leaves if desired and serve.
Notes
Use fresh lime juice, quality maple syrup, and freshly toasted seeds for the best flavor. Make ahead tips: prepare squash and dressing a day early. Swap ingredients to your liking—feta for goat cheese, or pecans for pumpkin seeds. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 15mg