For me, when the weather is warm, I have a smoothie almost every day for breakfast and a hearty salad almost every day for lunch. But as we get into fall and winter, the last thing I want in the morning is a smoothie after my workout, and I would definitely prefer a cozy soup for lunch over a salad. This arugula salad with butternut squash and goat cheese is the exception. Peppery arugula paired with sweet roasted squash and creamy goat cheese is the perfect combination to start your Thanksgiving dinner.
This salad has a dressing that’s simply and subtly sweet without being overpowering. Adding some grilled chicken makes it a complete meal too! Even though I don’t always love salads this time of year, I could eat this one all day. Arugula is a salad green that I never tire of! There’s a restaurant that we love for brunch and they serve a simple arugula salad as a starter with their dishes. It may seem strange to have salad as a brunch starter but it is so delicious before diving into a plate of eggs benedict or their famous stuffed buttermilk biscuits.
Have you started planning your Thanksgiving menu? I’m a person who tends to plan mine really far in advance, even though we typically have the same dishes. This year, some friends have kindly invited us over to have dinner with them because we will have a newborn and cooking may be challenging. I’ll still be bringing a few of my famous side dishes to share though! Stay tuned for a Thanksgiving post with all my favorite dishes to serve.
This salad is best served fairly soon after you dress it, so if you do plan on serving it for a big meal like Thanksgiving, I recommend roasting your butternut squash earlier in the day and tossing it together right before dinner. The dressing can be made a day in advance too, making this salad one of the easiest things you can serve for Thanksgiving, or enjoy anytime this fall or winter.
When I was buying the goat cheese to make this salad, I made at trip to Trader Joe’s. I don’t go there weekly or even monthly, but I do love the store and I know that certain items are such a steal there. Goat cheese is one of those items! It’s at least 50% cheaper than my regular grocery store. Plus it’s so kid-friendly because it’s not a huge store, has kid-sized carts, and gives out a whole strip of stickers at checkout. Sounds like a great rainy day errand to me! Despite the fact that I went to Trader Joe’s for one item, I spent $44 and walked out with all kind of groceries. I love the healthy snack selection for the kids (plantain chips, beet crackers, freeze-dried strawberries, Clif Kid Z-bars, and dried pea pods are some of their favorites), as well as the unique items I can get to make my meals and snacks more interesting. The beet crackers paired with the chunky olive hummus is one of my favorite snacks, and I can’t go to Trader Joe’s without some of their unexpected cheddar cheese. It’s the best paired with a sliced honeycrisp apple for an afternoon snack!
Now that I’ve waxed poetic about my love of Trader Joe’s, here’s the recipe you came here for!
- 5 oz. arugula
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. honey
- ¼ tsp. salt + more to taste
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
- ½ cup roasted cashews
- 4 oz. goat cheese
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread butternut squash on the pan and drizzle with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes until tender and golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, honey, 3 tbsp. olive oil, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Place arugula in a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Add butternut squash and cashews and gently toss again. Serve topped with crumbled goat cheese.
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