I hope I’m not the only person who loves adding a vibrant and hearty salad to the Thanksgiving or holiday table. When the only vegetable on the table is overcooked green beans with fried onions, I find this roasted butternut squash and wild rice salad is a welcome addition. Chewy wild rice, Roasting the butternut squash makes it a little chewy and caramelized and the crunchy pop from the pomegranate seeds is a perfect combination.
PrintRoasted Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Salad
Ingredients
Units
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- 6 cups mixed hearty greens like kale, arugula, radicchio, red cabbage and romaine
- 2 cups cooked wild rice
- 1 1/2 cups cubed and roasted butternut squash
- 1 cup cubed asiago cheese (you can substitute with Manchego, goat cheese or feta)
- 1 cup toasted pecans
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 fresh parsley leaves, de-stemmed but whole
For the rosemary balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tsp minced shallot
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup balsamin vinegar
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (I like mine tangy so I use less olive oil)
- pinch of kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the wild rice according to instructions. Can be made up to 5 days before using.
- Peel and cube the butternut squash, drizzle with olive oil, salt and dried herbs like basil, if desired, and roast at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before using
- To assemble the salad, place the greens as a bed on a large, flat platter.
- Fork the wild rice to separate and spread in an even layer on top of the greens, followed by the butternut squash.
- Sprinkle with dried cranberries, fresh pomegranate seeds, crumbled cheese and toasted pecans. Sprinkle on top with fresh parsley leaves.
- For the vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients into an old, clean jam jar, secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously until combined. Pour over the salad and enjoy!
