Butternut Squash Salad with Pomegranate & Goat’s Cheese

Life is too short for boring salads…

Let’s be honest, lunch is a pretty exciting meal of the day.  Anything goes.  No rules - just endless possibilities!  So as much as I love a good cheese and ham sandwich, I’m always on the lookout for ways to mix them up.  This recipe I’ve adapted has become my ultimate go-to of ‘fun salads’.  It’s healthy and nutritious, yet with it’s perfect balance of sweetness, creaminess and crunch, it’s bursting with flavour and, best of all, actually FILLS YOU UP (and if it doesn’t, technically it’s still a salad - so portion sizes are irrelevant in my book).   It’s super easy to make and I love doing a big batch at the start of the week for some lunch time meal prep (I’ve even made a little GIF to show you how!).  Feel free to substitute any ingredients that aren’t to your taste - the original recipe uses feta, but I love the creaminess of the goat’s cheese and find it adds a bit of moisture, eliminating the need for a dressing.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 Bag Fresh Rocket
  • 1 Pomegranate (molasses)
  • 150g Goat’s Cheese (my favourite is Chavroux Fresh Pure Goat’s Cheese!)
  • 1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 Jar Piquillo Peppers, drained
  • 70g Pumpkin Seeds
  • Sprigs of Fresh Thyme (optional)
  • 2 tbsps Olive Oil
  • Black Pepper
  • Sea Salt

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 180°C (Gas 6).

2.  Place the cubes of butternut squash into a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh thyme, salt and pepper.  Roast in the middle of the oven for around 40 minutes until golden brown, turning halfway through.

3.  As the squash is roasting, spread the pumpkin seeds onto a baking sheet, lightly coating with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.  Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing halfway.

4.  In a large bowl, gently mix together the rocket, peppers, onion, pomegranate molasses, goat’s cheese and cooled squash and pumpkin seeds.  Serve and enjoy!

I’d love to know how it turns out!  Show me at @eliseshootsfood

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