Honey roasted butternut squash, crispy spiced chickpeas, creamy goat’s cheese and a sharp vinaigrette. A salad that works as a side or a satisfying meal in itself.
Not your average salad
If you’ve just made my lemon honey mustard chicken thighs and you’re wondering what on earth to serve with them, I’ve got the answer for you. I created this butternut squash and goat’s cheese salad specifically to pair with those chicken thighs and the two together have become my go to meal lately.
But don’t be fooled into thinking this is just a side dish. It’s substantial enough to stand on its own as a lunch and I’d happily eat a giant bowl of it without the chicken. At 355 calories a portion and 11g of protein, it earns its place on the table whether you’re eating it solo, as part of a bigger meal or an accompaniment at a BBQ.
What makes this butternut squash and goat’s cheese salad so good?
This isn’t your average sad desk salad. Let’s have a look at what it’s made of.
The base is kale, but not just thrown in raw. You’ll massage it with a little olive oil until it softens and turns that deep, glossy green. It completely transforms the texture and takes away any of that tough bitterness that puts people off kale.
On top of that goes honey roasted butternut squash, caramelised at the edges and sticky in the best possible way. The chickpeas are tossed in garlic and onion granules and roasted until genuinely crispy. They’re the secret weapon that gives you that all-important crunch in every bite.
Fresh apple adds a sharp sweetness that cuts through the richness. Walnuts bring depth and texture. And the goat’s cheese rounds everything out with its creamy, tangy taste.
The vinaigrette is a simple mix of extra virgin olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and dijon mustard. It’s sharp enough to balance all that roasted sweetness without being overpowering.
A few things worth noting
- Butternut squash: I like to keep the skin on for this salad – it crisps up beautifully in the oven and adds to the texture. If you’d prefer to remove it, just cut off before roasting and reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes.
- Goat’s cheese: I use a soft goat’s cheese log sliced into rounds – it holds its shape and looks gorgeous. Worth noting if you’re cooking for vegetarians – not all goat’s cheese is vegetarian, double check the label before you buy.
What to serve with this butternut squash and goat’s cheese salad
Pile this alongside my lemon honey mustard chicken thighs for a complete dinner that feels like something you’d order in a restaurant. Or serve it as a standalone lunch. It keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days, just hold off on adding the dressing until you’re ready to eat to keep it as fresh as possible.
Two recipes in one day – I think I’m properly back! I’d love to see how yours turns out, tag me at @somethingwithflavour on Instagram.
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Butternut squash and goat’s cheese salad
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Honey roasted butternut squash, crispy spiced chickpeas, creamy goat’s cheese and a sharp vinaigrette – a salad that works as a side or a satisfying meal in itself.
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoons honey
- ½ butternut squash, cut into chunks (approx 400 grams)*
- 400 grams tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 teaspoons garlic granules
- 3 teaspoons onion granules
- 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 100 grams kale
- 40 grams walnuts
- 80 grams goat’s cheese log, cut into 1cm slices
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200C / 180C fan.
- Butternut squash and chickpeas: line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons of garlic granules, 1 ½ teaspoons of onion granules and a good grind of salt and pepper. Tip onto one of the baking trays and arrange evenly. Using the same bowl, toss your chickpeas with ½ tablespoon olive oil, the rest of the garlic and onion granules and a good grind of salt and pepper. Tip onto the other baking tray and pop both trays in the oven for 25-30 minutes, giving them a good shake 15 minutes in. Once the chickpeas are crunchy, remove from the oven to allow them to cool down. Take the butternut squash out of the oven and drizzle over the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil and the honey, return to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes until sticky and cooked through. Remove to cool.
- Kale: wash the kale, remove the woody stalks and tear apart any large leaves. Pat dry with kitchen roll and pop in a large bowl. Drizzle over a little olive oil and get your hands in the bowl to massage the kale for about 1-2 minutes or until softened and dark green.
- Dressing: make the vinaigrette by mixing all the ingredients together along with a good grind of salt and pepper.
- Assemble: on a large plate or bowl, layer the kale, butternut squash, chickpeas, apple, walnuts and goat’s cheese. Pour over the dressing, give everything a good mix, serve and dig in!
Notes
I like to keep the skin on the butternut squash for this salad, however if you prefer without, remove it before roasting and reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes
If you are vegetarian, double check with the goat’s cheese you’re buying is vegetarian as not all brands are
The nutritional value is based on 4 portions
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 355
- Sugar: 10.6g
- Sodium: 38.6mg
- Fat: 24g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 6.7g
- Protein: 11.1g
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