Packed with a delicious line-up of seasonal ingredients, this inviting Autumn Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette is all I want these days!
This salad came to me in my dreams.
It’s probably not a huge surprise. As I was drifting off to sleep, I was thinking about all things fall, and cranberries and butternut squash made special appearances.
Such awesome ingredients, right? With their rich color and appealing texture…I knew I wanted to do something exciting with them.
Autumn Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette it was!
This salad journey begins with the roasting of the squash. (So official.) Is there anything better than diced squash roasted at 450 degrees for 30 minutes to create what I like to call, caramelized splendor? You’ll know it’s ready when its sweet, sugary aroma blankets your kitchen.
Next, toast up some pecans on the stove top. You knew they’re done the moment their nutty aroma bursts onto the scene. And trust me, burst is not an overstatement. One minute you’re stirring and watching, stirring and watching… nothin’… nothin’… nothin’- then all of a sudden you’re smelling pecans! Be sure to take them off the heat as soon as you notice their aroma, they are quick to burn at this point. (Perhaps I have a little experience with this… 😉 )
Once the roasted squash and toasted pecans are ready, it’s just a matter of gathering the rest…sliced apple, dried cranberries, mixed greens, and crumbly blue cheese.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the dressing. What kind of autumn salad would it be without apple cider (vinegar) and honey?
This combination of flavors are meant to be together… creamy squash, crunchy apple, tangy cranberry, nutty pecans, earthy greens, and sharp blue cheese all swaddled in a sweet little dressing.
And there you have it – autumn on a plate!
Buon Appetito!
Ciao!
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Autumn Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
- Category: Salad
Description
Packed with a delicious line-up of seasonal ingredients, this inviting Autumn Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette is all I want these days!
Ingredients
- 4 cups butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans
- 6 cups mixed greens
- 2 – 3 apples, sliced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup crumbly blue cheese
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F. Place cut squash on a baking sheet with 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Toss and arrange in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes until squash is soft and caramelized.
- In the meantime, place pecans in a dry pan over medium-high heat.
- Watch closely and stir until pecans are darkened and aromatic (about 5-7 minutes).
- Place greens in a salad bowl.
- Top with roasted squash, apples, cranberries, pecans and blue cheese.
- In a separate bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, honey, water, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
- Whisk until fully combined.
- Plate the salad and drizzle with vinaigrette.
`Absolutely beautiful. I’m visiting my mother in the mountains today, and it looks like fall here with the leaves changing. At home it’s still terribly hot, but as I do every year, i count the days till fall weather and fall cooking!
Awhhh! This would be a perfect meal up in the mountains with your mama! Enjoy!
This is the perfect dish to kick off Fall with! Love the flavors and textures you have!
It really is! Thank you, friend!
Oh this is fabuloso! I love sweet potatoes and butternut squash in salads. Especially autumnal salads. Beautiful, and i love the vinaigrette !
One of my favorite salads, too! Thank you, Mimi!
I LOVE the sweet and tangy flavors of squash and dijon. This sounds divine!!!
Thank you, Lindsay!
Such wonderful fall flavors! So perfect together!
Thank you, Kelly!
I know fall is here when I see butternut squash added to dishes! Love the combo of ingredients in this salad Annie! Getting it on our menu asap!
Isn’t that the best! I love butternut squash in all its forms! Thanks, friend!
This salad looks absolutely amazing!!
Thank you so much! 🙂
This is my kind of salad, Annie! I could eat this everyday. Love everything in this salad – the perfect autumn ingredients. And I’m a BIG fan of apples in salads – sweet and crunch. Pinning!
It’s so true…the crunch of the apple with the creaminess of the squash is so so good! Thank you, friend!
I do not like fall, except for food like this salad…The way to get through my least favorite season. Love what you have done here, Annie! Pinned!
Glad I could help!! And I’m so happy you like! Thanks for stopping by with a kind word!
I always make a huge salad for Thanksgiving and I think it will be this one this year. It has all my favorite fall ingredients and I can smell those pecans toasting away :). This looks simply amazing, Annie!
Thank you, Kelsie! This is the ideal salad for Thanksgiving! 🙂
You know, I dream about food too. And talk about it pretty much all day, every day. Ask my hubby, lol. This looks like one hearty and beautiful salad. So many flavours and textures. Cheers to a fab week! XOXO
Now why does none of this surprise me! 🙂 Food is where it’s at! Have a happy week, my friend! XOXO
The apples, pecans, blue cheese, oh my. When I started reading I smiled to myself about having salad dreams but by the end I wanted to try it! Well done, Annie. This is what a fall salad should be about. I’d get oohs and aahs serving this.
Yep – this inspires all the oohs and aahs!!! Thanks for stopping by, Bill!
Such a perfect salad for the seasons arrival. I love the addition of the butternut squash and that dijon vinaigrette is just the icing on the cake (so to speak). BTW I dream of food to lol. Have a wonderful week ahead. Take care.
I’m just now feeling ready for autumn and this salad is a perfect way to welcome it! Thank you, Stacey!