Roasted Carrot and Butternut Squash Salad with Mixed Greens, Extra-Sharp Cheddar, and Pine Nuts
I wanted to do something different from our go-to house salad, so after looking through the fridge, I prepared a roasted carrot and butternut squash salad with mixed greens, extra-sharp cheddar, and pine nuts. I tossed this salad with our favorite–Fran’s Vinaigrette. I loved the sweetness of the roasted carrots & butternut squash, along with the nutty toasted pine nuts and salty cheddar tossed with the tangy vinaigrette.  I noticed both my kids ate every bite of their salad, and they seemed to love the roasted veggies. This delicious salad paired nicely with some brown-butter mashed red potatoes, Parmesan chicken, and dinner rolls.
Roasted Carrot and Butternut Squash Salad with Mixed Greens, Extra-Sharp Cheddar, and Pine Nuts
Ingredients:
- Fran’s vinaigrette or vinaigrette of your choice
- 1 cup of carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 cup of butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 4 cups of mixed greens
- Extra-sharp cheddar, diced
- 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- 1 tbsp dried cranberries
How to Make a Roasted Carrot and Butternut Squash Salad with Mixed Greens, Extra-Sharp Cheddar, and Pine Nuts:
Prepare Fran’s vinaigrette; set aside to allow the flavors time to mingle.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
Roast the veggies by placing the diced carrots and butternut squash on the baking sheet, then drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Toss to coat evenly.
Place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, or until tender. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Prepare the salad by placing the mixed greens in a large bowl, then top with roasted carrots and squash, extra sharp cheddar, toasted pine nuts, and dried cranberries.
Drizzle some of the well-whisked vinaigrette over the salad and toss until evenly coated.
Serve immediately. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- Fran's vinaigrette click link up above for recipe
- 1 cup of carrots peeled and diced
- 1 cup of butternut squash peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 4 cups of mixed greens
- Extra-sharp cheddar diced
- 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- 1 tbsp dried cranberries
Instructions
- Prepare Fran's vinaigrette; set aside to allow the flavors time to mingle.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
- Roast the veggies by placing the diced carrots and butternut squash on the baking sheet, then drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Toss to coat evenly.
- Place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, or until tender. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Prepare the salad by placing the mixed greens in a large bowl, then top with roasted carrots and squash, extra sharp cheddar, toasted pine nuts, and dried cranberries.
- Drizzle some of the well-whisked vinaigrette over the salad and toss until evenly coated.Â
- Serve immediately. Enjoy.
We eat a lot of salad in our house, and I don’t know why I’ve never thought to add roasted veggies. This looks amazing, Pam!
I am a huge fan of all sorts of salads. This looks fantastic with roasted veggies.
Sounds like a great recipe. I love all the add-ins!
It looks like a nice salad. I love salads with a spinach base.
Love this salad look delicious!!
What an interesting salad. I bet is was delicious.
good.
I have to eat it….. 🙂
Saluti da Letychicche,
http://letychicche.blogspot.it
This is my kind of salad! The roasted veggies are such a great addition.
Great idea for using up carrots, we accidentally double bought and now have 6 lbs of carrots in the fridge. I like my carrots roasted very dark, almost burned looking. I probably have to cook them for almost twice as long as yours.
Salads are always welcome for me and this one sounds so great with roasted Vegs. wow!!
This was wonderful. Loved the roasted veggies on the salad and Fran’s vinaigrette worked so well with it. Your blog is one of my favorites.