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    Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate

    By Julia | Updated: Sep 19, 2021 | Published: Nov 16, 2016 | 53 Comments

    111.0K shares
    • Facebook2.1K
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    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate Seeds, and Poppy Seed Honey-Lime Dressing - a great choice for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, or any other Fall and Winter holiday menu!

    Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate Seeds and Poppy Seed Honey-Lime Dressing on a white plate

     

    This butternut squash and spinach salad is a perfect Autumn or Winter side dish, since it uses lots of seasonal ingredients that are available this time of the year.  Healthy, gluten-free, packed with nutrients and fiber!

    Ingredients you need for butternut squash salad:

    • 3 cups of Roasted Butternut Squash (cubed)
    • 10 oz baby spinach
    • 1 cup pecan halves
    • ½ cup dried cranberries
    • ½ cup pomegranate seeds

    How to make honey lime salad dressing:

    1. In a medium bowl combine ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, 3 tablespoons of softened honey, 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
    2. Whisk until emulsified.
    3. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

    How to make butternut squash salad:

    1. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of roasted butternut squash (cubed), 10 oz of chopped spinach leaves, ⅔ cup of pecans, ½ cup cranberries, and ¼ cup pomegranate seeds.
    2. Add the Honey Lime salad dressing and gently toss.
    3. Top with the remaining ⅓ cup pecan halves and ¼ cup pomegranate seeds.

    Other amazing Butternut Squash Salads:

    • Butternut Squash Salad with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cranberries, and Pecans
    • Autumn Butternut Squash Salad with Pumpkin Seeds
    • Quinoa Butternut Squash Salad with Pine Nuts, Caramelized Onions and Feta cheese

    ingredients for Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate Seeds on a white plate

    Other amazing Thanksgiving salads:

    • Winter Fruit Salad with Maple Lime Dressing - the holiday ingredient list includes red apples, pears, clementine oranges (or mandarin oranges), kiwi fruit, dried cranberries, and pomegranate seeds.
    • Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate - perfect healthy Thanksgiving salad with Poppy Seed Honey-Lime Dressing.
    • Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cranberries and Pecans - this holiday salad  is all about crisp, shredded Brussels sprouts tossed with slightly sweet honey mustard vinaigrette, dried cranberries and chopped pecans.  One of the best Fall salads you'll ever make!

    Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate Seeds and Poppy Seed Honey-Lime Dressing (close-up)

    Other Butternut Squash Recipes:

    • Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
    • Butternut Squash Chili
    • Black Bean and Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole
    • Black Bean and Butternut Squash Soup
    butternut squash and spinach salad with cranberries, pecans, pomegranate seeds
    4.76 from 95 votes

    Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate

    Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate with Poppy Seed Honey-Lime Dressing.  Healthy, gluten free, packed with veggies.  The best salad for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve or any other Fall and Winter holiday menu!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories per serving 516 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    Roasted butternut squash:

    • 1 pound butternut squash , peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 3 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • salt

    Dressing:

    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice
    • 3 tablespoons honey softened
    • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
    • Salt and black pepper to taste

    Salad ingredients:

    • 10 oz baby spinach , about 10 cups of torn leaves
    • 1 cup pecan halves
    • ½ cup dried cranberries
    • ½ cup pomegranate seeds
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions 

    Roasted butternut squash:

    • Preheat oven to 400 F. 
    • In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and toss to mix.
    • Place butternut squash in a single layer on the foil-lined baking sheet. 
    • Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.

    Honey Lime Salad Dressing:

    • Combine all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

    How to assemble butternut squash salad

    • In a large bowl, combine roasted butternut squash, spinach leaves (chop them up a little), ⅔ cup of pecans, ½ cup cranberries, and ¼ cup pomegranate seeds. 
    • Add the salad dressing and gently toss. 
    • Top with the remaining ⅓ cup pecans and ¼ cup pomegranate seeds.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    516
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    36
    g
    55
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    25
    %
    Sodium
     
    105
    mg
    5
    %
    Potassium
     
    960
    mg
    27
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    50
    g
    17
    %
    Fiber
     
    8
    g
    33
    %
    Sugar
     
    29
    g
    32
    %
    Protein
     
    6
    g
    12
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    18715
    IU
    374
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    48.3
    mg
    59
    %
    Calcium
     
    174
    mg
    17
    %
    Iron
     
    3.9
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword butternut squash salad, holiday salad
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    111.0K shares
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lisa

      November 27, 2024 at 1:32 pm

      Honey isn't vegan. Is it better to make this with maple syrup or Agave?

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 02, 2024 at 8:52 pm

        Hi Lisa! This would definitely be better with maple syrup!

        Reply
    2. Monica

      January 12, 2024 at 12:34 am

      What a good recipe to use up my butternut squash harvest and it's versatile, too. Instead of spinach, I substituted cooked beet greens.

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 13, 2024 at 1:16 pm

        Monica, I am so glad you loved this salad. I have quite a few butternut squash recipes you might like:

        https://juliasalbum.com/category/vegetables/butternut-squash/

        Reply
    3. Shirley McCormick

      October 23, 2023 at 9:07 pm

      Julia, thank you for posting the recipe. My husband saw it online yesterday and texted it to me...and
      I just had to make it today! That was our lunch and I served it with toasted home-made olive sourdough bread. I know I will be making more of this salad!
      PS. The dressing is spot on!!!!!!

      Shirley McCormick

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 24, 2023 at 2:56 pm

        Shirley, I am so glad you tried this salad and loved it! Thank you for taking the time to share this wonderful feedback! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Katie

      February 11, 2023 at 8:44 am

      Beautiful and delicious! It’s my go to when I have guests.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 13, 2023 at 6:14 pm

        Katie, so glad you enjoy this salad. Thank you for the comment and the 5-star review! 🙂

        Reply
      • Trudy

        October 13, 2023 at 10:01 am

        Do you serve this and beet recipe warm???

        Reply
        • Julia

          October 20, 2023 at 11:46 pm

          Trudy, you can serve it warm or at room temperature.

          Reply
    5. Duncan Edwards

      September 22, 2022 at 2:45 pm

      This salad is very well made and delicious

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 02, 2022 at 7:06 pm

        Duncan, I am glad you loved this salad. And, thank you for the 5-star review! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Kriss

      January 22, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      Delishious!!! I have made several times and shared with friends. A keeper.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 11, 2022 at 9:34 pm

        Kriss, I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and liked it! Thanks for the comment! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Hilary

      November 26, 2021 at 1:30 pm

      I've made this for Thanksgiving, and I can tell you it was the prettiest side dish on a table! And tasted great too!

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 29, 2021 at 10:49 pm

        I am so happy to hear that! Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to share this positive feedback!

        Reply
    8. Jane

      November 26, 2021 at 6:32 am

      Thank you so much for posting this recipe! Just made it and it was perfect. Can't wait to try it with other greens, especially arugula and kale!

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 29, 2021 at 11:00 pm

        I am so pleased you've enjoyed this salad! And, thank you for stopping by and taking the time to share this positive feedback + 5-star review - I appreciate it!

        Reply
    9. Emily

      November 25, 2021 at 10:45 pm

      Hi! I made this today for thanksgiving, and it was a huge hit! The only thing I changed was I didn’t add the pomegranate seeds as I couldn’t find any, and I added a chopped green apple to give it more crunch since I didn’t have the seeds. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 26, 2021 at 3:14 pm

        Emily, you are very welcome! I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! Love that you added a chopped green apple - sounds delicious!

        Reply
      • Julia

        November 29, 2021 at 11:01 pm

        You're very welcome! Glad you've enjoyed this salad! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Alzena

      November 20, 2021 at 6:35 pm

      EDIT: five Stars

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 21, 2021 at 3:27 pm

        Thank you for the 5-star review - I appreciate it! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Farah Suhail

      December 19, 2020 at 12:36 am

      Hi Julia, can I replace pecans with something else? Perhaps pumpkin seeds?

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 22, 2020 at 6:35 pm

        Yes, pumpkin seeds are a great substitution for pecans!

        Reply
      • Alzena

        November 20, 2021 at 6:33 pm

        This salad is delicious. I mean really really delicious. The dressing is everything. I used sweet potatoes because I didn’t want to wrestle with the butternut squash. I used lettuce from my garden and roasted the pecans. Great salad.

        Reply
        • Julia

          November 21, 2021 at 3:27 pm

          Alzena, your comment made my day - thank you! And, thank you for the feedback regarding using sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash - glad that it tasted delicious with the potatoes!

          Reply
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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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