I at all times discover it attention-grabbing that we affiliate stable salads with the warmth of summer time, when in actuality, greens are at their greatest within the cool months of fall and spring. The mix of greens and winter squash is such a pleasant hit for me. As such, this winter squash salad has all the things I search for in a hearty, cool-weather lunch.
Winter Squash Salad
This winter squash salad is without doubt one of the recipes I made whereas I used to be tenting, utilizing a few gadgets I prepped forward of time—the roasted pink kuri squash and the black pepper walnuts. I prefer to plan meals round these elements because it makes prep a bit lighter and cooking a bit faster.
The squash on this recipe might be simply changed with different winter squash, pumpkin, or roasted candy potatoes. I just like the earthy, barely candy addition of any of those greens paired with the dill, however there are alternatives!
Black Pepper Walnuts
Certainly one of my favourite methods so as to add texture and taste to salad is to roast nuts or seeds and toss them in with the salad. These black pepper walnuts are about so simple as you possibly can go, however huge on taste. Additionally, you’ll discover I add the black pepper after roasting—this retains the flavour extra outstanding and reduces the prospect of burnt spice taste.
Black Pepper Walnuts
- 1 cup (120 g) uncooked walnut items
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 4 teaspoons impartial oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Roasted Squash
- 1 medium 2 lbs thin-skinned winter squash ( resembling pink kuri, kabocha, or delicata)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Dill-Walnut Dressing
- 1/2 cup (12 g) loosely packed chopped dill
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Salad
- 1 massive head of butter lettuce or roughly 8 handfuls of free lettuce leaves
- ½ cup grated parmesan (for serving)
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To make the walnuts: Preheat oven to 325˚F. On a small sheet tray, mix the walnut items with the maple syrup, oil, and salt. Toss to coat, then place within the oven. Roast for quarter-hour, till the walnuts have barely darkened in colour and are aromatic. Take away from the oven and set the oven to 425˚F.
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To roast the squash: lower off the stem and backside of the squash, lower in half and scoop out seeds, lower into 1” thick wedges. Place on a sheet tray and toss with olive oil and kosher salt. Place every wedge lower aspect down on the tray.
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Roast at 425˚F for quarter-hour. Take away from the oven, flip the wedges, and return to the oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Squash must be tender however not falling aside, and have a very good browning colour. Let cool, then lower into bite-sized items.
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Assemble the salad: Place the black pepper walnuts on a slicing board and finely chop till many of the nuts are in small items. Place about ¾ of the walnuts in a big bowl, then add the dill, olive oil, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir to mix, then add the squash, tossing to coat.
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Roast the walnuts, then roughly chop. Add to the bowl together with the chopped dill. Add the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt, stirring to mix. Roughly lower the squash into bite-sized items and add to the bowl with the dressing, tossing to coat.
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Lastly, add within the lettuce together with about half the Parmesan. Toss till the salad is nicely mixed and the lettuce is coated with the dill-walnut combine. Style and regulate flavors as desired.
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Divide the salad into 4 bowls and end with the remaining walnuts and parmesan earlier than serving.
You’ll be able to roast the walnuts alongside the squash however the nuts will roast fairly rapidly—I sometimes set a timer for a couple of minutes and examine usually in order that they don’t burn.
