This vibrant salad, with curry-roasted butternut squash, roasted grapes, candied pecans, and gorgonzola cheese tossed in a zesty shallot orange vinaigrette is full of sweet, tart, fruity flavors and is addictively good.
Summer salads may get the most attention due to a bounty of produce (looking at you, tomatoes). But if you ask me, fall and winter salads deserve more love. Festooned with bejeweled ingredients like beets, squash, and fruits, these lively salads are colorful showstoppers. Recipes like my avocado, grapefruit, and fennel salad, kale salad with cranberries, apple, and cheddar cheese, and my burrata salad with pear and prosciutto are such bright spots during the doldrums of winter. This curried butternut squash salad is no exception. It features a bed of butter and red lettuce topped with sweet, curry-roasted butternut squash and roasted grapes for jammy sweetness. Candied pecans are added for crunch, crumbled gorgonzola for a little creaminess, and it’s finished with a punchy shallot-orange vinaigrette with another layer of curry seasoning that ties everything together beautifully.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This vibrant salad is full of awesome textures and flavors
- It comes together easily, and fairly quickly
- It’s light and healthy, yet filling, and also super versatile
What’s in This Salad with Curried Butternut Squash
- Butternut squash—you could also use delicata squash or even sub with sweet potato if you like
- Red grapes—any variety you like, but I use red seedless and they are sweeter and more attractive in this salad than green grapes
- Olive oil—for roasting and for the vinaigrette
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper—always, for flavor
- Pecans—I like pecans in this salad, but you could also use walnuts or pepitas
- Brown sugar—for caramelizing the pecans
- Water—helps the sugar melt and caramelize
- Shallot—I love adding shallot to this salad’s vinaigrette because it packs a nice little punch of flavor
- Champagne vinegar—the acid of choice in the salad’s vinaigrette
- Fresh orange juice—gives the vinaigrette acidity, sweetness, and brightness
- Lettuce—I use a mix of butter/Boston lettuce and red leaf lettuce, but you could also use mixed greens
- Crumbled gorgonzola cheese—or you could use blue cheese
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make This Salad with Curried Butternut Squash
- Roast the butternut squash and grapes. Toss the butternut squash and grapes with olive oil, curry powder, and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven over high heat until squash is golden brown and bottoms are caramelized, and the grapes are plump and jammy.
- Caramelize the pecans. I love my candied pecans recipe, but this version is a quicker shortcut. Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the pecans, stir, and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the pecans to a plate or sheet pan, spread them out, and let them cool (they will harden as they cool).
- Make the citrusy vinaigrette. To a medium-sized bowl or jar, add the olive oil, shallot, champagne vinegar, orange juice, remaining 2 teaspoons of curry powder, and salt and pepper (to taste). Whisk well or shake to emulsify.
- Assemble the salad. Add the lettuces to a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Top with roasted squash and grape mixture, the candied pecans, and crumbled gorgonzola cheese. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Swap the butternut squash for honeynut squash, sweet potato, or delicata squash (if using delicata squash, there’s no need to peel it)
- Try walnuts or pepitas instead of pecans
- Add a dash of cayenne to the pecans if you like a little heat
- Sweeten the pecans with maple syrup or honey instead of brown sugar
- Use white wine or white balsamic vinegar instead of champagne vinegar (or any other fruity vinegar you like)
- Add some canned chickpeas or white beans, grilled chicken or salmon for some protein
- Swap the butter and red leaf lettuce for mixed greens, or even kale
- Use feta or goat cheese instead of the Gorgonzola or blue cheese
Storage Tips
If making this salad ahead, wait until serving to add the lettuce. The roasted butternut squash and grapes will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days. The vinaigrette will keep stored in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. The candied pecans can be kept in an airtight container or jar, stored in the pantry for 1-2 weeks.
More Butternut Squash Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Salad with Curried Butternut Squash and Roasted Grapes
This vibrant salad is full of awesome textures and flavors, comes together easily, and is super versatile. It’s a light but filling meal on its own, but you could easily add grilled chicken, salmon, or chickpeas for extra protein.
Servings 4
Calories 539kcal
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash , peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup red grapes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 ½ teaspoons curry powder , divided
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup whole shelled pecans
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons water
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
- 8 cups Torn butter and red leaf lettuce
- ¼ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese , or blue cheese
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Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F.
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Add the butternut squash and grapes to a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with 1 ½ teaspoons of the curry powder, and ⅛ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Use your hands to gently toss the squash and grapes so they are evenly coated, and arrange them in an even layer. Place in the oven to roast for about 15-20 minutes, or until squash is golden brown and bottoms are caramelized, and the grapes are plump and jammy. Taste and add more salt or pepper if desired.
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Caramelize the pecans. Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the pecans, stir, and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the pecans to a plate or sheet pan, spread them out, and let them cool (they will harden as they cool).
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Make the vinaigrette. To a medium-sized bowl or jar, add the olive oil, shallot, champagne vinegar, orange juice, remaining 2 teaspoons of curry powder, and salt and pepper (to taste). Whisk well or shake to emulsify.
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Assemble the salad. Add the washed, torn lettuces to a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Top with roasted squash and grape mixture, the candied pecans, and crumbled gorgonzola cheese. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 1164mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 23362IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 4mg
More Fall and Winter Salad Recipes to Try
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