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    Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate

    Published: Nov 16, 2016 / 45 Comments

    110.3K shares
    • Facebook1.7K
    Recipe Print

    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
    4.80 from 58 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
    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

    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), â…” cup of pecans, ½ cup cranberries, and ¼ cup pomegranate seeds. 
    • Add the salad dressing and gently toss. 
    • Top with the remaining â…“ 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
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
    « Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
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    Please share your comment and Star Rating in the comments section below.

    I appreciate your feedback!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda

      December 17, 2020 at 9:09 am

      Hi Julia, this looks great, I want to try this but is it a warm salad or cold

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 17, 2020 at 7:25 pm

        Hi Linda, this salad is best served warm or at room temperature.

        Reply
    2. Denise

      November 29, 2020 at 11:26 pm

      Made this at Thanksgiving. It was an absolute hit with the family!

      Reply
    3. Rebekah

      November 25, 2020 at 10:59 pm

      Trying this for Thanksgiving. I thought I'd make the dressing tonight to cut down time tomorrow. Now I'm wondering if that is a mistake. Can I put the dressing in the fridge tonight or will it harden because of the honey?

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 27, 2020 at 6:10 pm

        You can refrigerate the dressing and then warm it up briefly in the microwave the next day.

        Reply
    4. Kathaleen Bijman

      December 25, 2019 at 12:07 pm

      Fantastic salad. Looks so festive. Made it for Christmas Eve. Everyone loved it. I think you could also substitute the squash for pear and it would be equally good.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 20, 2020 at 4:56 pm

        So glad you tried this salad and enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Nancy Simms

      December 23, 2019 at 12:33 pm

      My first try at this......You didn't tell us you need a chainsaw to cut the squash...
      and WHO named it" Butternut" squash....it better be good ! 🙂

      Reply
    6. Mahin

      November 24, 2019 at 1:24 am

      These side dish looks beautiful and colorful and it is great for all occasions.I didn’t make it yet but I am sure it is going to be tasty and beautiful dish for my thanksgiving dinner I am so excited I can’t wait to make it.
      Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 21, 2020 at 12:28 am

        You are very welcome! Thank you for stopping by and sharing such a positive comment!

        Reply
    7. Phil

      November 23, 2019 at 12:38 pm

      Softened Honey? I know softened butter or margarine but how and why soften honey?

      Reply
      • Juanita Dale Slusher

        December 06, 2019 at 9:34 am

        You've never seen honey after it crystalizes? (https://blog.beeraw.com/real-raw-honey-crystal)

        Reply
        • Julia

          February 20, 2020 at 7:32 pm

          Softened honey is much easier to stir and blend in the salad dressing.

          Reply
    8. Kelly

      November 21, 2019 at 10:46 pm

      Should the butternut squash be pre-cooked and cooled before being added to the salad?

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 21, 2020 at 12:39 am

        The butternut squash should be roasted and can be added warm to the salad.

        Reply
    9. Judy McCallum

      November 03, 2019 at 8:00 pm

      Salad very pretty and loved the dressing
      However none of us liked the roasted squash in it
      If I try it again, I will substitute orange sections.

      Reply
    10. Pat

      November 21, 2018 at 4:39 pm

      How many serving are there in this recipe, and is it meant to served warm or cold? Looks really yummy!

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 21, 2018 at 4:59 pm

        This recipe makes 6 servings as a side dish. It's best to be served warm. However, I served it cold and it was delicious. People commented on this site that they served this dish cold and they loved it! Just make sure to add toasted nuts right before serving, so that they retain their texture.

        Reply
    11. Rhonda

      July 13, 2018 at 11:28 am

      How far in advance can you add the dressing to the salad before serving? I'm trying to avoid wilting the spinach.

      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Julia

        July 16, 2018 at 12:16 pm

        I would add the dressing either right before serving or 30 minutes prior, not earlier.

        Reply
    12. Emily

      February 06, 2018 at 1:12 pm

      This is SO GOOD. I can't even begin to explain how much I loved it. Hot or cold, it was indescribably delicious. Thank you!!!! I'll make it many times in the future.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 24, 2018 at 3:27 pm

        Thank you so much, Emily! Comments like yours make my day! So glad you enjoyed the salad.

        Reply
    13. Joyce

      January 22, 2018 at 5:35 pm

      This was so pretty I had to make it but I didn’t have pomegranate or poppy seeds so I made a sherry shallot vinaigrette for the spinach,,squash,pecans and dried cranberries. It was delicious. My husband loved it so much he asked for it two nights in a row. I will be making this often in the future

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 26, 2018 at 5:40 pm

        Thank you so much, Joyce, for stopping by and sharing how you made this recipe! Your homemade vinaigrette sounds so delicious! Great choice for this salad!

        Reply
    14. Patricia Whitener

      July 28, 2017 at 7:29 pm

      Is this meant to be a warm salad or should the butternut squash be cooled?

      Reply
    15. Kaela Glenn

      May 30, 2017 at 11:53 am

      This looks like a perfect fall salad. I am loving those bright, warm colors! I'm going to need to make this soon!

      Reply
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