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Home | Recipes | Lunch

Published: Oct 20, 2021 · Modified: Dec 1, 2023 by Mika Kinney · This post may contain affiliate links.

Warm Harvest Salad With Honey Mustard Dressing

Jump to Recipe

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 up close photo
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make This - Step by Step:
  • Quick Facts
  • Try these other easy recipes!
  • Recipe

Ingredients

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 apples 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.

How to Make This - Step by Step:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and dice butternut squash, if needed, into ½” cubes
  2. 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
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Add the butternut squash and gently toss, again, to mix.

Quick Facts

How do I store this salad and how long does it keep?

This salad is best stored without the dressing on it to prevent it from getting soggy. Without the dressing, it will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. With the dressing, it will last 2 days.

Is there a substitute for the goat cheese?

Yes, you can make this salad with feta too. Or, for dairy-free, just leave out the cheese.

Should the salad be eaten warm or cold?

This salad is best when the rice and squash are warm and everything else is cold. But, it's also super tasty cold too!

What's the best way to meal prep this?

If you want to eat this throughout the week, it's best to store the components separately and then assemble them as you want to eat them. If using instant rice, I also like to wait to make it until the night before or the day of. You can store everything in preportioned containers to take for lunch (I used to do this and eat it cold in construction every day!).

Try these other easy recipes!

Orzo Citrus Salad

Creamy Mediterranean Salmon

Bisquick Apple Cobbler

Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Recipe

Warm Harvest Salad With Honey Mustard Dressing

Author: Mika Kinney
5 from 2 votes
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.
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes mins
Serves: 6
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apples, fall food, harvest, holidays, honey mustard, salad, spinach, squash

Ingredients

  • 4 cups spinach
  • ½ lb butternut squash of ½ lb of pre cut squash
  • 1 apple
  • ⅓ cup craisins
  • ⅓ cup pecans
  • 8.5 oz quinoa
  • ⅓ cup honey mustard dressing
  • 2 tablespoon avocado oil
  • ⅓ 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.

Notes

Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.

Nutrition

Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 6032IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you try this? We'd love to hear how it went. Please leave a review below! Or, follow and tag us on Instagram!Mention @_Joytothefood_ or tag #joytothefood!

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Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. AvatarBarb McGowan says

    November 26, 2021 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • MikaMika says

      November 29, 2021 at 12:26 pm

      Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

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