Roasted beet and butternut squash salad

This roasted beet and butternut squash salad has only a few ingredients, but it full of bright flavors and colors. You can prepare it partly ahead and enjoy as an appetizer, side or lunch. Easy and delicious.

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If you're a regular here, you'll know I'm not really one for salads that are mainly lettuce. For me, salads need to have a bit more going on, with different flavors, textures and colors. And this autumnal salad is a perfect example.

It doesn't have a huge list of ingredients, but they each add a different flavor and texture component. Not to mention a beautiful set of colors. From the soft squash to the crunchy pepitas, the creamy goat cheese and sweet-tart vinaigrette, it's a fantastic mix.

Ingredients in this seasonal salad

As I say, this salad has just a short list of ingredients, but each adds something special:

• Beet/beetroot - this has a lovely gently earthy flavor, firm but tender texture and slight sweetness after being roasted.
• Butternut squash - this is lovely and soft after roasting, and you get even more sweetness and flavor in any edges that start to caramelize.
• Soft goat cheese - this adds a lovely smooth, creamy texture and tangy flavor. Not to mention, it helps add an extra pop of contrasting color.
• Arugula/rocket - this is the base for the salad and has a lovely gently peppery flavor.
• Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) - for a little crunch and extra flavor. If the once you have are raw, then toast or roast them with a little oil and salt, though watch them closely so they don't burn. This helps bring out their flavor that bit more.
• Maple balsamic vinaigrette - this is one of my favorites for fall-flavored salads as the flavors work so well. Plus, it's incredibly easy to make.

Roasting root vegetables

With many root vegetables, I feel the motto of "if in doubt, roast", is a good one to stand by. Roasting really brings out the flavor of root vegetables, in many cases bringing out their natural sweetness.

For most vegetables, and as is the case here, simply peel, chop and toss with oil and some simple seasonings. The only thing it's worth noting is different roots cook at different speeds. That's because some are slightly more dense than others. So things like beet and carrots take longer than squash or parsnips.

The solution, if you are roasting together, is in the size you dice. Cut the beet into slightly smaller chunks that the squash and they should be nicely tender by the time the squash are starting to caramelize around the edges.

For this salad, you can roast the vegetables a good day or two ahead and then allow the vegetables to cool before storing in a sealed container in the fridge. This then makes the salad super quick and easy to make when you are ready.

Suggested substitutions

While I love this salad just as it is, some ideas for substitutions (or additions) include the following:

• Instead of beets - while you won't have quite the same flavor or color, if you wanted to substitute then other roots would work, such as radishes, carrots or turnips.
• Instead of butternut squash - other sweeter winter squash will be very similar, such as honeynut and kabocha. You could also use sweet potatoes.
• In place of goat cheese - you could use feta, some milder blue cheeses or some shaved parmesan instead, or omit to make it vegan.
• Instead of arugula - if you prefer, you can use other greens such as spinach or a spring mix, though the flavor won't be quite the same. If you use milder greens, then you might want to add a little shaved fennel to get some of that more savory "bite" that other greens often lack.
• In place of pepitas - some toasted almonds or pine nuts would also work well. You could also add pecans or walnuts though the flavor is a little more distinct.
• Alternative dressings - if you prefer, a plainer balsamic or French vinaigrette would also work well. For a slightly different flavor, you could try something like a lemon basil vinaigrette or eg lemon tahini.
• Additions for flavor, contrast etc - other ideas that you can add in here that would work well are slices of apple or pear, or some dried cranberries or cherries.
• Protein additions - if you want to make this into a fuller meal, then some cooked chicken (eg grilled or roasted) would work really well in there. Alternatively, some roasted chickpeas would work well to keep it vegetarian.

This roasted beet and butternut squash salad is definitely a salad you eat with your eyes, but the flavors don't disappoint either. It's simple yet varied, quick to put together and versatile. Definitely one to enjoy all though the colder months, and even beyond.

Try these other fall-flavored salads:

• Beet apple salad (another easy salad, also with my maple vinaigrette, though this one has no cooking)
• Butternut squash farro salad with apple (another tasty salad with roasted squash, it's great for making ahead and hearty enough to be a meal)
• Apple celeriac salad (this salad has delicious mix of sweet, savory flavors, including bacon, and great crunchy textures)
• Plus get more fall recipes in the archives.

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