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This Chopped Salad with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese, and Hazelnuts is a delicious combination of textures and flavors that is versatile and captures the essence of fall.
Looking for something light but hearty for lunch or dinner? How about something to serve your vegetarian guests during the holidays? This salad will be your answer. It is a showstopper in color, texture, and, most importantly, flavor.
The star of this salad is the butternut squash, which has been roasted until tender and lightly caramelized. This squash is high in fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Although it is high in carbs, it has a low glycemic index, making it an excellent addition to your daily nutrition.
Did you know that one head of romaine lettuce has 8 grams of protein and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids? Yes, although it is not often discussed, romaine is considered a superfood. The other supporting elements in this salad are an apple, goat cheese, and radicchio.
Radicchio is a bit of a hit or miss for some people because it has a strong, bitter taste. However, you can weaken that taste in this salad by cutting it into smaller pieces and soaking it in water (you need to wash it anyway). By cutting it into smaller pieces and soaking it, you create a larger surface area for the bitter taste to leach into the water. (You can also grill or roast radicchio to tame the bitterness, but I’ll save that idea for another recipe post.)
Toss all of these lovely, mind- and body-healthy ingredients together with a simple and scrumptious balsamic vinaigrette, and you have…Wait, I almost forgot the HAZELNUTS!! Now you have a powerhouse of a salad!
Some of you might ask, “Can I substitute the goat cheese and hazelnuts with another cheese or nut?” I say, “Of course you can!”
Here are some nut-and-cheese combinations that work for my taste buds.
Blue cheese with pecans or walnuts
Feta cheese with almonds
As always- “Make it for you, make it your own!” Happy cooking!
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Chopped Salad with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese, and Hazelnuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (1 ½-2 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 4 ½ cups)
- ¼ cup Extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar, divided
- ⅜ teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
- ⅜ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small head Radicchio (6 ounces), halved, cored, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 Romaine lettuce heart (6 ounces), washed, dried and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 Honey Crisp, or other sweet and firm apple, cored and cut into matchstick pieces
- 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup chopped hazelnuts, skinned and toasted
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450°F. Toss squash, 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 tabelspoon vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper together on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until well browned and tender, about 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting. Remove sheet from oven and let squash cool for at least 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk mustard, remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl.
- Add radicchio, romaine and apple to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add squash and goat cheese, and lightly toss. Sprinkle the salad with chopped hazelnuts and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
