Roasted Delicata Squash Salad With Pomegranate And Goat Cheese

In case you haven’t heard, it’s decorative gourd season, motherf^%$#^!

Posted by Rachel A.

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In case you haven’t heard, it’s decorative gourd season, motherfuckers.

Winter squash are the backbone of some of our best recipes. Whether it’s in soup or pie— or even a stand alone main— Butternuts, Kabochas, and Acorns are essential in our autumn kitchen. But Delicata Squash is our favorite because it’s just so damn easy to cook.

Unlike its thick-skinned kin, Delicata doesn’t make you break out a carving kit to get dinner on the table (and won’t give you gross, peely hands). Just wash it, slice it thin, and pop it in the oven. The fancy yellow and green mottled peel is thin enough to be both edible and completely delicious, lending a little bit of contrast to the tender ochre flesh. It’s an idiot-proof ingredient that makes a huge visual impact on the plate, and it makes a completely perfect protein-alternative for hearty fall salads.

Paired with juicy, sweet Pomegranate and the salty tang of Goat Cheese, this salad is refined enough to wow your office’s Thanksgiving potluck but so simple you can break it out for your brown bag lunch. The recipe below uses Arugula to give a peppery contrast to the rich, sweet squash, but you can use whatever sturdy greens you have on hand. This salad would be great on a mound of Spinach or even some super seasonal Tatsoi, for a cruciferous crunch.

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You Will Need (9 things)

  • 1 large Delicata Squash
  • 1 Pomegranate
  • 3 oz Goats Cheese
  • ¾ cup Olive Oil for the Vinaigrette, plus some for seasoning the Squash
  • ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • Salt and plenty of Black Pepper
  • 4 cup -6 cups Arugula , or other greens of your choosing
  • ¼ cup candied or roasted Walnuts

Steps (4 steps, 30 minutes)

  1. 1

    Roasted Delicata Squash Salad with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese

    Preheat your oven to 425°.

    Thoroughly wash your Delicata Squash and cut into thin slices. We cut it in half first and scoop out the guts with a spoon, but that’s not even necessary. You can leave the strings intact; just make sure you remove the seeds, because they will burn. Neatly arrange the Squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with a little Olive Oil and Salt, and roast until browned and tender, about 15 minutes.

  2. 2

    While the Squash roast, coax the seeds out of your Pomegranate (either by harvesting in a bowl of water, or beating it with a wooden spoon) and mix up a quick Vinaigrette by emulsifying the Olive Oil, Balsamic, and Dijon with a pinch of Salt.

  3. 3

    The Squash is super tasty hot or cold. Fill a bowl or platter with Arugula, top with your roasted Squash and the Pomegranate seeds. Season with lots of freshly cracked Black Pepper and crumbles of Goat Cheese. Toss with Vinaigrette immediately before serving.

  4. 4

    If you really want to reinforce the sweetness of the season, we love this salad sprinkled with candied Walnuts. They bring a much welcome crunch, along with some delicious fat and protein.