This roasted butternut squash salad is loaded up with goodies and good for you ingredients! Caramelized butternut squash with sweet crisp apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, kale and Brussels sprouts all tossed in a creamy Whole30 compliant poppy seed dressing. Paleo, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and Whole30.
I can’t get enough winter squash, I’m ridiculously obsessed. Whether it’s delicata squash in a salad, stuffed acorn squash, or sweet savory maple bacon butternut squash – I’m IN all the way.
Today we’re making another epic harvest salad – a butternut squash salad with everything I love. Shredded kale and brussels sprouts, apples, toasted pecans, cranberries, and a homemade poppy seed dressing. And yes – the poppy seed dressing is paleo, Whole30, and vegan too!
This salad is perfect to serve to a crowd – although realize that people will fight over it because it’s THAT good. It’s a huge salad, but don’t count on having leftovers. It’s simple but addicting and sure to be a favorite at any gathering.
What You Need to Make this Butternut Squash Salad
The Whole30 poppy seed dressing is sweet, but yet made with no added sugar! Here’s what you’ll need for the dressing:
- Medjool Dates
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Stone Ground Mustard
- Almond Milk
- Avocado Oil
- Onion Powder
- Sea salt
- Poppy Seeds
Here’s what you’ll need for the salad:
- Butternut Squash
- Avocado oil
- Sea salt
- Kale
- Brussels Sprouts
- Pecans
- Dried Cranberries (I used apple juice-sweetened dried cranberries)
- Apple
How To Make Vegan + Whole30 Poppy Seed Dressing
To make this dressing both Whole30 compliant and vegan, I used medjool dates as a sweetener. The dates give the dressing a great flavor and makes it extra thick and creamy.
The dressing needs to be made in a high speed blender since the dates need to be pureed. I use a NutriBullet, but many blenders will work well. Simply place all ingredients (except for the poppy seeds!) in the blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Then, stir in the poppy seeds and set aside.
How to Make the Butternut Squash Salad
The remaining salad is super easy to throw together! You can peel and cube the butternut squash yourself, or buy it pre-cut – whatever you prefer. I roast it in oil and salt in a 425° oven. Make sure it’s in a single layer on the baking sheet so the outside browns nicely. You can use two baking sheets if necessary.
The remaining salad is a breeze. Chop the kale finely and massage it with a little oil and salt. Toast the pecans lightly in a skillet with a little oil and salt as well. Toss in everything with the kale, including the roasted butternut squash and as much dressing as you like.
The dressing won’t get the salad soggy since we’re using kale and Brussels sprouts, which is an added bonus!
Can I replace the Dates with a Different Sweetener for the Poppy Seed Dressing?
If you don’t need this salad to be Whole30 compliant and don’t have any dates, you can sub in maple syrup. Use about 2 Tbsp, or add to taste, until the dressing is as sweet as you like. You can also sub in raw honey in the same way, although this is not vegan.
How to Store Leftover Poppy Seed Dressing
I recommend storing the poppy seed dressing in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator. It should stay good for about one week. If it separates in the refrigerator, just stir or shake it back together before using. It’s great on pretty much any salad!
I hope you’re ready for a seriously delicious butternut squash salad with ALL the goodies! Grab your butternut, preheat the oven, and gather all your ingredients – let’s go!
Butternut Squash Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing {Paleo, Vegan, Whole30}
Butternut Squash Salad with Whole30 Poppy Seed Dressing {Paleo, Vegan, Whole30}
Ingredients
Poppy Seed Dressing:
- 3 Medjool dates softened
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbsp almond milk unsweetened
- 1/2 tsp stone ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or light flavored olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds
Salad:
- 5 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed to 3/4” pieces
- 1 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil + sea salt for roasting
- 4 cups kale chopped
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil + sea salt, for massaging
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts shredded
- 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
- 1 tsp coconut oil + sea salt, to taste, for toasting
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries fruit-sweetened for Whole30
- 1 large apple or 2 small, diced (I used honey crisp)
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 425° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash with the oil for roasting and sprinkle all over with sea salt. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet spread out as much as possible to allow the squash to brown. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until soft and browned on the outside. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
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Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Soften your dates by soaking in hot water if necessary, then add them to a high speed blender along with the vinegar, almond milk, mustard, onion powder, salt, and oil. Blend until smooth and creamy, then stir in the poppy seeds.
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Next, toast the pecans. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the coconut oil to melt. Add the pecans and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Stir occasionally as they cook, lowering the heat if necessary to prevent burning, for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat immediately to avoid burning once done. Allow them to cool, then chop coarsely.
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For the salad, place the kale in a large bowl and drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with salt. Massage the oil into the kale for a few minutes or until you reach the desired texture. The longer you massage, the softer it gets.
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Transfer the kale to a serving bowl and add the shredded Brussels, chopped toasted pecans, cranberries, and diced apples. Once the squash has partially cooled, toss it into the salad. Add a few Tbsp of dressing slowly and gently toss to coat. Serve right away with extra dressing if desired. Enjoy! Store leftover poppy seed dressing covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
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Want More Paleo + Whole30 Salads? Try One of These!
Roasted Delicata Squash Kale Salad
Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon and Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Rainbow Veggie Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Shrimp Cobb Salad with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette
BLT Chicken Salad with Peppercorn Ranch
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If I didn’t add the dressing until later, could I make the salad ahead of time then add the dressing when it’s time to eat?
Yummy!! Threw this together for dinners the next couple of nights and it’s awesome. It seemed a little time consuming but we’ll worth it.
Great flavor! Will def make this again.
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This salad and dressing are so delicious that I make them regularly. It is really a meal. Love it! I have shared it with a few friends, one of which is a really great cook and it is now one of her favs! Thanks for the recipe.
Beyond delicious! And you actually use very little dressing. I made it with sweet potatoes as well – just as good!
The dressing is so good! Thank you!
Wonderful recipe! Thank you so much for sharing! In addition to being a very tasty salad, it also contains healthy ingredients for our body. Pumpkin is one of the healthiest vegetables, which contains a lot of dietary fiber, pectin in particular, which helps to cleanse the body of toxins. In addition, it has a lot of carotene, as in carrots. They perform a very important function in the body – to protect the walls of blood vessels from atherosclerosis, and body tissues from inflammation and premature aging. The array of vitamins found in this vegetable helps me as a writer doing daily writing my papers at https://writemypapers4me.net/ keep my brain toned. It also has a lot of minerals and vitamins that the body needs during the cold seasons.
Do you have any suggestions for making this without dates?
I will definitely try this recipe.
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Substituted pomegranate seeds for the dried cranberries. Made it for a get together and everyone loved it! Only thing I will change is thinning out the dressing – as prepared it was thick like mayonnaise.