Grilled Kabocha Squash Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Serves: 8

Hands On Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 0 minutes

Ingredients

Maple Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Squash Salad

2 large kabocha squash, halved, seeded, and sliced 1 inch thick

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 cups salad greens, such as baby romaine, baby arugula, mizuna or Bibb lettuce

8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup unsalted roasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, vinegar, lime juice, and mustard. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is creamy and emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the salad: Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Arrange the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat all sides of the squash with the oil. Roast until the squash is lightly browned and just fork tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool.

Heat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the squash until grill marks form on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter. 

In a large bowl, toss the greens with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette, adding more if desired. Arrange the greens over the squash and sprinkle with the goat cheese and pepitas. Drizzle with additional vinaigrette if desired. Serve.

About the recipe

The goat cheese provides a tangy contrast to the sweetness of the squash and maple syrup in this flavorful fall salad. You can roast the squash in advance then finish it on the grill when ready to serve.