Posted on
by 
6 Comments Looking for a hearty salad that’s packed with vegetables and perfect for lunch or dinner? This spelt salad with roasted butternut squash is one of my favorites during autumn and winter. Sweet roasted pumpkin, salty feta, juicy pomegranate seeds and crunchy hazelnuts come together in a simple honey-orange dressing that ties everything together beautifully.
It’s a colorful salad that’s filling enough to serve as a main course but also works wonderfully as a side dish for roasted chicken or grilled meat.
Table of contents
Tip from Simone
Roasting the pumpkin with cumin seeds makes all the difference. It brings out the natural sweetness of the pumpkin while adding a warm, earthy flavor. Make a double batch of roasted pumpkin, you’ll thank yourself later!
Recipe Ingredients
- butternut squash – You’ll need about 13 oz (375 g), peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes. Sweet potato is a great substitute.
- spelt – A wonderfully nutty grain that makes the salad extra filling. You can also use farro, pearl barley, wheat berries, quinoa or brown rice.
- feta cheese – Adds a delicious salty contrast. Goat cheese also works well.
- pomegranate arils – Fresh and juicy bursts of sweetness.
- dried cranberries – For extra sweetness and texture. Raisins work too.
- roasted hazelnuts – Toasted walnuts or pecans are great alternatives.
- fresh parsley and dill – Add freshness to the salad.
- red onion – Thinly sliced for a little bite.
For the dressing you’ll need olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, orange and a bit of lemon. And of course salt and pepper to bring it all to taste.
Check the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
How To Make Roasted Butternut Squash and Spelt Salad
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Toss the butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the cumin seeds, salt and pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast for about 25-30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
Meanwhile, cook the spelt according to the package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water and allow it to cool completely.
In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled spelt, roasted hazelnuts, parsley, dill, red onion, dried cranberries, pomegranate arils and crumbled feta.
Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and season to taste.
Fold the roasted squash through the salad, drizzle with part of the dressing and gently toss everything together.
Variations
This salad is very easy to adapt.
- Add grilled chicken for a more substantial meal.
- Swap the feta for creamy goat cheese.
- Use quinoa for a naturally gluten-free version. (spelt has low gluten, but it is not gluten-free)
- Add roasted chickpeas for extra protein.
- Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds for even more crunch.
Storage
Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you’re making it ahead, keep the dressing separate and add it just before serving to keep everything fresh.
FAQ Roasted Butternut Squash and Spelt Salad
Spelt is an ancient grain with a slightly nutty flavor and a pleasantly chewy texture. It’s similar to farro and works beautifully in grain salads like this one. If you cannot find spelt you can replace it with quinoa, rice, pearl barley or any other grain you like.
Yes! In fact, the flavors develop even more after a few hours. Just store the dressing separately until you’re ready to serve.
Absolutely. Roast it straight from frozen, but allow a few extra minutes in the oven. I do find that frozen pumpkin or frozen butternut squash contains more moisture and will loose more volume in the oven, so you might want to roast a bit more. Just to be safe.
It’s delicious on its own, but also pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, roasted salmon or lamb.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
Of course I have a ton of delicious salad recipes on the site but here are a few of my favorites featuring spelt.
Spelt Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
For the salad
- 375 grams butternut squash peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 250 grams spelt
- 140 grams dried cranberries
- 200 grams pomegranate arils
- 100 grams roasted hazelnuts roughly chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh dill chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh parsley chopped
- 1 small red onion finely diced
- 200 grams feta cheese crumbled
For the dressing
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 60 ml honey
- 60 ml apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200˚C.
- Toss the diced butternut squash with the olive oil, cumin seeds, salt and pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.375 grams butternut squash, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp cumin seeds, Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Meanwhile, cook the spelt according to the package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water and let cool completely.250 grams spelt
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked spelt, hazelnuts, parsley, dill, red onion, dried cranberries, pomegranate arils and feta.140 grams dried cranberries, 200 grams pomegranate arils, 100 grams roasted hazelnuts, 1/2 bunch fresh dill, 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, 1 small red onion, 200 grams feta cheese
- Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and season with salt and pepper.60 ml extra virgin olive oil, 60 ml honey, 60 ml apple cider vinegar, Zest and juice of 1 orange, Juice of ½ lemon
- Fold the roasted squash into the salad and drizzle with about half of the dressing. Toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately with the remaining dressing on the side.
Notes
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
This looks absolutely delicious! I might try this with farro (because that’s what I have on hand right now)!
And it will work perfectly with farro!
Hey there Simone! this salad looks delicious and healthy!
I can imagine your frustration with immobility. But more important than a few extra pounds is the healing and being able to walk nd eventually run again.
Patience is hard work but you are strong and lucky to have Tom by your side and the furry babies to keep you amused.
Get better soon Dear!
xox
I know that is more important Karin, but I’m also thinking that any extra kilo’s are not going to help when I am finally able to move again. With most leg muscles gone I’m pretty sure that the lighter the better! And you know patience is so not my strongest point!
A beautiful salad! So many great flavours. My kind of dish.
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks so much Rosa!