This Warm Harvest Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing is made with sweet butternut squash, tangy cranberries, and creamy goat cheese! With the addition of grains this salad is hearty and full of flavor, making it the perfect fall meal.
Warm Harvest Salad With Honey Mustard Dressing Ingredients
How to make a Warm Harvest Salad With Honey Mustard Dressing:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and dice butternut squash, if needed, into ½” cubes
- Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicon mat. Add squash, drizzle with olive oil, and top with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes
- While that bakes, dice the apple into small cubes, dice pecans, if whole, and cook quinoa as directed on the package. We like to use this instant brown rice and quinoa mixture to speed up the process.
- Add everything except the squash to a large bowl, crumbling the goat cheese as you place it in the bowl. Gently mix to evenly coat in salad dressing.
- Add the butternut squash and gently toss, again, to mix.
Quick Facts
How long does this dish take?
30 minutes, including cook time for squash
How much does this make?
4 -6 servings
Does this meet my dietary needs?
This nutritious salad is gluten free and vegetarian. It can be made vegan but omitting the goat cheese
How many bowls should I plan for this meal?
1 small bowl (or medium bowl) and 1 large bowl
How long does this keep?
3 days in the fridge in an airtight container
Is it freezer friendly?
No
Can I pack this for lunch?
Yup! This is one of those great healthy recipes for meal prep. Just keep it cold.
Substitution Options
All substitution options are a 1:1 substitution unless noted otherwise.
Spinach: Any spring mix can be used
Honey Crisp Apples: Sweet Tango, First Kiss, Jazz Apples, Granny Smith, or similar sweet and tangy apple can be used
Butternut Squash: Sweet potato can be used
Craisins: Dried apricots or pineapple could be used. We prefer to use unsweetened dried fruit.
Pecans: Walnuts or almonds can be used
Quinoa or Rice Blend: Any gluten free microwavable packet of rice or grain can be used. Traditional quinoa or rice can be used also, we are just fans of cutting down on time and prefer the microwave version.
Avocado Oil: We like olive oil as a substitute
Honey Mustard: Your favorite gluten free honey mustard can be used, Ken’s is one of our favorite dressings. You can also make your own with a dressing recipe like this one (which uses dijon mustard)! We recommend honey mustard dressing to get that tangy flavor, but if you try a different dressing (such as a honey mustard vinaigrette or balsamic vinegar) let us know how it tastes!
Goat Cheese: Feta cheese or Parmesan can be used or it can be omitted. We love to use honey goat cheese!
Additions: Some additional healthy ingredients that would also work well in this salad include red onion, red peppers, any varieties of kale, fresh corn, and brussels sprouts! If you’re looking for a non-vegan version then adding crispy bacon or chicken pieces (such as from chicken breast or chicken thighs) would be a perfect addition to this fall harvest salad.
Fun Fact!
Honey Crisp Apples were developed by the University of Minnesota after 31 long years of perfecting it. It takes 1 in 10,000 trees to develop a honey crisp tree, leading to its higher price in the market. are thought to have gotten their start back in ancient times. It is one of the top 5 selling apples in the world and its success has led to many other new apples being developed in Minnesota. (Source)
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Warm Harvest Salad With Honey Mustard Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 cups spinach
- 1/2 lb butternut squash of 1/2 lb of pre cut squash
- 1 apple
- 1/3 cup craisins
- 1/3 cup pecans
- 8.5 oz quinoa
- 1/3 cup honey mustard dressing
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/3 cup goat cheese
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and dice butternut squash, if needed, into ½” cubes
- Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicon mat. Add squash, drizzle with olive oil, and top with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes
- While that bakes, dice the apple into small cubes, dice pecans, if whole, and cook quinoa as directed on the package. We like to use this instant brown rice and quinoa mixture to speed up the process.
- Add everything except the squash to a large bowl, crumbling the goat cheese as you place it in the bowl. Gently mix to evenly coat in dressing.
- Add the butternut squash and gently toss, again, to roughly mix.
- Enjoy! Add some chicken or tofu for additional protein.
We’ve made this on other occasions and made it for Thanksgiving and it was so delicious. The warm rice / quinoa /squash combination with the tangy honey mustard dressing and the spinach and the rest is an amazing combination of good flavor!
Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed it!