Looking for an unexpected Thanksgiving side dish? Check out this festive arugula-radicchio salad with delicata squash, apples, and walnuts.
As far as I’m concerned, a salad is a must-have for Thanksgiving. Unlike the staples (your potatoes, your gravy, your Brussels), Thanksgiving salads are a wild card. Since there’s no one variety established as “The Thanksgiving Salad”, we’re free to go as crazy as we want. (I mean a salad’s still a salad, but still!)
If you’re not used to having a salad on your T-giving table, I hope this version manages to change your mind. Hear me when I say, it will add the much-needed contrast, brightness, and crunch to your otherwise beige-filled plate. Let’s dive in…
First, you’ve got a crunchy base of peppery arugula and bitter radicchio. Their complementary colors make each other pop, and their freshness balances out the heaviness of the typical holiday meal.
Next, roasted delicata squash slices. With their scalloped edges, these always strike me as delightfully cartoonish and I dig that. Their candy-level sweetness feels like soft caramel melting in your mouth.
In contract, juicy slices of tart green apple provide that satisfying crunch, with assistance from roasted walnuts.
Feel free to treat this delicata squash salad as a template. For instance:
- Instead of radicchio, use other bitter lettuces – like frisée or endive.
- In place of delicata squash, opt for butternut squash or sweet potatoes.
- Instead of walnuts, try roasted pecans, pistachios, or almonds. If there’s a nut allergy situation, go with pumpkin seeds.
So there you have it, a straightforward yet perfectly balanced and beautiful salad.
The last tip I’ll leave you with is to toss this salad with your hands instead of tongs/salad servers. Since the squash is super delicate, you want to handle it with care instead of hacking away at it with metal tools.
More salad inspiration…
- Thai Salad with Seared Tofu and Peanut Dressing
- Tomato-Peach Salad with Sautéed Corn and Basil
- Shredded Carrot Salad with Coriander and Dill
- Massaged Kale Caesar Salad
Delicata Squash Salad
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: n/a
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Looking for an unexpected holiday side dish? Try this festive roasted delicata squash salad with bitter greens, tart apples, and walnuts.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 delicata squash
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 5 packed cups arugula
- 1 small head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 tart apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 cup roasted walnut halves
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons red wine, champagne, or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and strings; discard. Cut the squash into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place on a large rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with the oil, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange in a single layer. Roast until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, maple, salt, and pepper. While continually whisking, gradually stream in the oil and whisk until the dressing is emulsified.
- To serve, combine the arugula, radicchio, apple, walnuts, and squash in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and gently toss to coat (toss with your hands to avoid breaking up the squash pieces). Serve immediately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe
- Calories: 218
- Carbohydrates: 7.4 g
- Fiber: 3.3 g
- Protein: 5.6 g
Keywords: thanksgiving, holiday, salad, apple, delicata squash
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