Maple Butternut Squash Fall Harvest Salad

Maple Butternut Squash Fall Harvest Salad is the perfect dinner or side dish for any autumn gathering! It's loaded with harvest favorites like roasted butternut squash, fresh crisp apples, dried cranberry, crispy bacon and shaved Parmesan. It's a balance of salty and sweet, warm and cold, and drizzled with a sweet maple dressing. Makes a great Thanksgiving salad too!

Why We Love It!

• Seasonal and Fresh! - This squash apple harvest salad combines the best of what's in season! Roasted butternut squash, fresh picked apples, crisp salad greens, with cranberry and that rich maple flavor, it just screams fall! Tis the season for my Maple Butternut Squash Soup too!

• It's a Complete Meal or Stunning Side Dish! - This salad is certainly worthy of being a dinner on its own and easily feeds 4 people. But, it is also a great side dish for a larger group paired with Carrot Ginger Soup, or perfect for the Thanksgiving table! If you love salad for dinner, be sure to check out my Chopped Dinner Salad with Roasted Potatoes!

• The Flavor is Amazing! - This fall harvest salad with butternut squash is the perfect balance! The salty savory flavors of the bacon, roasted pistachio nuts, nutty Parmesan and sharp onions marry beautifully with the warm sweet maple roasted butternut squash, the sweet dried cranberries, apples and tangy maple syrup dressing. Some components are cold, some still warm from the oven, and all loaded with that crisp autumn harvest flavor!

• If you Love this Fall Salad, try this Pear Arugula Salad with Crispy Prosciutto and this Kale Apple Slaw Salad too!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Butternut Squash - The star of the fall harvest, butternut squash is delicious when roasted! It takes on savory and sweet elements which are amplified by the maple syrup! You may not use all of 1 squash for this salad, but I roast the whole thing. Your leftovers will be delicious, try this Butternut Squash Ravioli!

• Bacon - I like to use thick cut bacon and roast it in the oven alongside the butternut squash, though it will be done before the squash. It's that crisp and salty goodness with way less mess than frying it in a pan! Leave it out if you want a vegetarian salad.

• Bread for Croutons - I used 2 cups of cubed bread from a loaf of ciabatta. You could also use a baguette, or any type of French or Italian bread. I like to keep a loaf in my freezer for a quick and easy sandwich night like Italian Subs with Giardiniera, the more crusty and rustic the better! You could also skip this step and use store-bought croutons, or leave the salad gluten-free.

• Pistachio Nuts - Pistachios are a favorite, but you can also sub pecans, walnuts, pumpkin or sunflower seeds. I used raw nuts and roasted them with olive oil and a pinch of salt alongside the bread for the croutons. You could also buy nuts that are already roasted and salted and skip this step; however, you might want to warm them in the oven for just a few minutes.

• Salad Greens - I used a little over half of a 4.5 ounce box of store-bought mixed salad greens. Whatever looks like the best quality and the freshest is your best bet!

• Dried Cranberries - This adds a punch of sweetness and a nice pop of color! Golden raisins, pomegranate seeds, or fresh fall raspberries would also be a great variation.

• Apple - Use your favorite apple variety, I like apples that are super crisp and crunchy, juicy and tangy!

• Parmesan Cheese - I like to buy a block of Parmesan cheese and use a vegetable peeler to shave off big pieces! It adds a nice salty nutty flavor to the salad.

• The Maple Dressing - This simple dressing is made by adding all the ingredients to a jar with a lid and shaking them together! Sweet maple syrup is balanced with sharp dijon and white wine vinegar, shaken with olive oil, salt and pepper. This is a great basic dressing for any salad, just double or triple the recipe and store it in the fridge for a month or more. Let it come to room temperature on the counter before using since the oil will solidify in the fridge.

See recipe card below for full quantities.

Step 1 - Prepare your Ingredients - Preheat the oven to 400°F convection bake and prepare all ingredients (chop squash and bread, wait until the last minute to slice apples).

Chopping up the butternut squash can seem a bit tricky, but really it's not! Cut off each end of the squash, then peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Next, cut it in half horizontally so you have the top "neck part", and the bottom "bell part" with the seed cavity.

Cut the top part into half inch slices, then cut the slices into strips and finally cubes. Slice the bell part in half vertically and scoop out the seeds, an ice cream or portion scoop works great. Then cut each half in slices, then strips, then cubes.

You may not need the entire squash for this salad, but I still roast the whole thing.

Step 2 - Roast the Squash and Bacon - On a large sheet pan, lay out 5 strips of bacon to one side of the pan and spread the cubed squash on the other side. Drizzle the squash with olive oil and maple syrup and season with salt. Toss well with your hands and spread out.

If your pan is too small for the squash and bacon, you can use two separate pans.

Step 3 - Toast the Croutons and Nuts - On a second sheet pan, add the cubed bread to one side and the pistachios to the other. Drizzle them both with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss well with your hands and spread them out.

If you are using pistachios or other nuts that are already roasted or salted, you can skip this step or just throw them on the pan a few minutes to warm.

Step 4 - It All Bakes Together - The timing can vary by oven, so keep an eye on things and take them out as they are done, set a timer!

Bake both sheet pans together in the oven at 400°F. After 10 to 12 minutes, remove the croutons and pistachios, and flip the bacon with tongs. Continue to cook the bacon and squash 10 to 14 more minutes until bacon is crispy and fully cooked.

Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel to drain and chop. Continue to cook the squash 15 minutes more until cooked through and softened (taste one!). Remove the squash with a slotted spatula to drain any extra bacon fat.

Step 5 - Make the Vinaigrette - Add all ingredients for the dressing to a jar with a lid and shake well.

Step 6 - Assemble the Salad - On a large platter, arrange some of the squash as a bed for the greens - especially around the edges so you can see the color. Top it with lettuce greens, more squash, croutons, red onion, sliced apples, toasted pistachios, dried cranberries, chopped bacon, Parmesan cheese and drizzle with the dressing.

Use as much of the dressing as you like, I used it all. Serve the salad, part warm, part cold immediately and enjoy!

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Baking Times - This recipes cooks everything together in the oven, but not all for the same amount of time. Get everything prepped and in the oven and then get your timer ready! The croutons and nuts only need about 10 minutes. If your nuts are already roasted or salted, you can skip the oven or just put them in a few minutes to warm. You can flip the bacon when you pull them out. Then another 10 to 14 minutes to finish the bacon. Remove it but continue to cook the butternut squash for another 10 to 15 minutes. All ovens can run a little different so keep timing things and checking them and take them out as they finish. The total oven time for the squash is about 40 minutes. Use the convection setting on your oven, which means the fan is blowing the hot air around, this speeds up the cooking and gets things nice and crispy!

• Make Ahead - If you are heading to Thanksgiving, this salad is great to make ahead. When eaten fresh, this salad has a unique warm ingredient/cold ingredient combo! But, if you are heading to a party, you can arrange the salad beforehand and store it in the fridge, it's fine eaten cold! Just keep the croutons separate in an airtight container on the counter, the dressing in a jar, and wait to slice the apple until just before serving. The butternut squash could be roasted and kept in the fridge a day in advance. The dressing can also be made a day or two in advance and the final assembly can be at the party!

• Vinaigrette - You can make the dressing a few days in advance, just shake the ingredients in a jar and store it in your fridge! The oil will solidify in the fridge so just let it sit on the counter 20 minutes or so before using and give it a good shake to re-emulsify. Like most any homemade vinaigrette, this dressing will keep in the fridge for a month or more!

• Substitute the Butternut Squash - You could make this salad with roasted sweet potatoes or another type of winter squash such as delicata.

• Wait to Slice the Apple until just before serving so it doesn't brown.

• Go for REAL Maple Syrup, not pancake syrup - Have you made the switch yet? You should! I know, it's more expensive. That's because pancake syrup is just colored corn syrup. Real maple syrup, that comes from an actual maple tree, adds depth of flavor, and is a great substitute for sugar in a lot of recipes! And, a little of the real stuff goes a long way! I cringe at the amount of Aunt Jemima I used to put on my Eggo waffles as a kid!

• Storage - Like most salads, once the dressing is on, it's best eaten right away. However, leftover salad can be kept in the fridge for the next day. It will definitely last longer without the dressing.

If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it! Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!

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