Warm Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe
Warm spinach salad is chock full of healthy greens tossed in warm goat cheese and roasted butternut squash with your favorite salad dressing. Glazed pecans add a little sweetness.
How to Make the Best Warm Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Butternut Squash
This warm spinach salad is the perfect balance of tender greens, creamy cheese, and roasted vegetables. The combination of fresh spinach with warm, caramelized butternut squash creates a naturally satisfying dish that’s both comforting and nutritious. When the hot squash meets the cool goat cheese, it creates the most wonderful melted coating that clings to every leaf of spinach.
The glazed pecans add just the right amount of sweetness and crunch to round out this elegant salad. It’s a dish that looks far more complicated to prepare than it actually is, making it perfect for impressing guests or enjoying as a special weeknight dinner. The beauty of this recipe is how the heat of the roasted squash does most of the work for you—no separate dressing needed if you’re using a quality vinaigrette.
This salad is best served immediately while the squash is still warm, creating that perfect interplay between hot vegetables and cool, crisp greens. It’s a wonderful way to use seasonal butternut squash and showcase how simple ingredients can come together to create something truly memorable.
Warm Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Butternut Squash
Warm spinach salad is chock full of healthy greens tossed in warm goat cheese and roasted butternut squash with your favorite salad dressing. Glazed pecans add a little sweetness.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and cut the butternut squash into roughly 1-inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread out in one layer on a sheet pan.
- Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once, until squash is well cooked and browned on the outside.
Assembly
- While the butternut squash roasts, prepare the salad ingredients. Select a very large bowl for tossing the salad so you will have room for all the ingredients.
- Mix the spinach with your choice of vinaigrette dressing. Crumble the goat cheese with your hands over the spinach.
- When the butternut squash is done roasting, transfer it directly from the pan to the bowl on top of the goat cheese. The heat from the butternut squash will melt the goat cheese and slightly wilt the spinach.
- Toss together gently so the goat cheese coats the spinach, but gently so the squash doesn't clump together.
- Transfer the salad to a platter or smaller bowl for serving. This will allow for any butternut squash that fell to the bottom to land on top. Sprinkle with glazed pecans.
Notes
- See the original source for additional notes about the recipe