Warm Salad of Mushrooms and Roasted Butternut Squash with Arugula and Gorgonzola
I recently checked out a cookbook from the library called Food & Wine Best of the Best. The book is filled with all sorts of wonderful recipes and I have tagged a bunch of them to make. One of the first recipes to catch my eye was this beautiful warm salad with sauteed mushrooms, roasted butternut squash, arugula, spinach, and Gorgonzola. The flavor combination is amazing and the colors make the salad beautiful too. We all thought this salad was delicious although my husband and daughter opted to enjoy theirs without the Gorgonzola…my son and I didn’t mind having the extra. This salad paired nicely with the cheese ravioli topped with the tomato cream sauce I served it with.
How to Make a Warm Salad of Mushrooms and Roasted Butternut Squash with Arugula and Gorgonzola
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and coat with cooking spray.
Combine the vegetable oil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar together. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Whisk until well combined. Set aside to allow flavors to mingle.
Place the diced butternut squash on the baking sheet. Drizzle the squash with some olive oil then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Toss to coat evenly. Place in the oven and roast, flipping halfway through cooking with a spatula, for 30-35 minutes, or until fork-tender and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.
When the butternut squash is nearly done cooking, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat with the butter then leave alone for 3 minutes, or until golden brown; flip. Add the shallot and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the stove. Set aside.
Combine the arugula together with the baby spinach. Whisk the vinaigrette together until well combined; drizzle on top of the arugula/spinach mixture, to taste. Toss to coat evenly. Top the salad with roasted butternut squash, sauteed mushrooms and shallots, and crumbles of the Gorgonzola cheese. Season with freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- Salad:
- 1 cup of butternut squash peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup of button mushrooms quartered
- 1 very small shallot sliced thinly
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 3 cups of arugula
- 2 cups of baby spinach
- Gorgonzola crumbles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and coat with cooking spray.
- Combine the vegetable oil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar together.
- Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Whisk until well combined. Set aside to allow flavors to mingle.
- Place the diced butternut squash on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle the squash with some olive oil then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Toss to coat evenly.
- Place in the oven and roast, flipping halfway through cooking with a spatula, for 30-35 minutes, or until fork-tender and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and set aside.
- When the butternut squash is nearly done cooking, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the mushrooms and toss to coat with the butter then leave alone for 3 minutes, or until golden brown; flip.
- Add the shallot and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Remove from the stove. Set aside.
- Combine the arugula together with the baby spinach.
- Whisk the vinaigrette together until well combined; drizzle on top of the arugula/spinach mixture, to taste. Toss to coat evenly.
- Top the salad with roasted butternut squash, sauteed mushrooms & shallots, and crumbles of the Gorgonzola cheese.
- Season with freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
A simple yet divine salad!
What a great combination of delicious things.
This salad looks delicious and I’ll have mine with Gorgonzola.
I love all the flavors in this salad! Can definitely see why it made the best of the best list.