Soul-lifting roasted squash salad

Sep 25, 2021

Not just for summer, this everyday beauty combines rustic roasted Living Larder squash, caramelized onion and indulgent blue cheese (our favourite is multiple award-winning ‘Isle of Wight Blue’) in a gloriously satisfying turn-of-season salad. 

Salad with roasted squash, walnuts, onions and blue cheese

Prep and cook time: 15 min prep, 40-45 min cook 

Total time: 1 hour 

Difficulty: medium 

Ingredients: 

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into large slices, seeds removed and reserved 

4 cloves garlic, peeled and gently crushed 

2 red onions, cut into quarters 

50g walnuts, roughly chopped 

140g blue cheese, roughly chopped 

100g baby spinach 

1 tbsp olive oil 

Salt and pepper 

For the dressing: 

1tbsp olive oil 

2tsp balsamic vinegar 

1tsp brown sugar 

1tsp Dijon mustard 

Salt and pepper 

Directions: 

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180° fan) | 400F | gas 6.  

2 Toss the butternut squash, onions and garlic cloves in a large roasting tin with olive oil and season. Turn the squash after roasting for 20 minutes. Return to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the squash starts to brown. 

3 Remove from the oven, discard the garlic cloves and allow to cool. Meanwhile, rinse and dry the squash seeds. Toast the seeds and walnuts in a frying pan, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, then remove from the heat.

4 To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, sugar and seasoning in a small pan and gently heat for about two minutes, until the sugar has melted.  

5 While still warm, gently toss the butternut squash and onions with the spinach and dressing. To finish, scatter with blue cheese, squash seeds and walnuts.