Paleo Butternut Squash Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

This paleo butternut squash salad is a delicious recipe loaded with fall flavors and veggies like butternut squash, kale, and brussels sprouts. 

Topped with red onion, pecans, bacon, and dried cranberries, it’s like fall in a bowl.

Butternut squash is a great source of fiber and potassium, which are beneficial for digestion. It has high amounts of vitamin E which promotes healthy skin and hair. 

The dressing is a maple dijon balsamic vinaigrette is made with olive oil, a healthy fat that helps keep you satiated throughout the day and is full of heart-healthy omega-3s. 

And it’s topped with pecans which are a super healthy low-carb nut for a paleo diet. 

Go straight to the recipe

This Isn’t Just Any Salad Recipe

Most salads leave you unsatisfied and wanting more after eating them. 

Not this one. 

This salad isn’t just a few veggies on a bed of lettuce. It’s made by roasting butternut squash in FBOMB Olive Oil, adding salt and pepper, and then mixing it with baby kale, shaved brussels sprouts, bacon, dried cranberries, and pecans. 

It’s tossed in a savory maple dijon vinaigrette dressing which gives it a nice sweet and tangy flavor, that’s perfect with the fall veggies, tart cranberries, and crunchy pecans. 

It’s a boosted recipe with tons of quality fat foods and proteins.

The Benefits of Butternut Squash 

Butternut squash is a winter squash with an impressive nutrition profile, sure to leave you happy about your choice to whip up this salad. 

Of your recommended daily intake (RDI), just 100g of butternut squash contains: 

• 212% of Vitamin A
• 35% Vitamin C
• 10% Vitamin B-6
• 8% Magnesium

You read that right… 100g of butternut squash contains over 200% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin A! This vitamin plays an important part in promoting eye health[*][*], skin health[*][*], and immune health.

Paleo Butternut Squash Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

Roasted Squash Salad

• 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
• 1 Tablespoon FBOMB Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3-4 cups baby kale, chopped
• 1/2 cup Brussels sprouts, shaved or sliced thin
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Line a baking sheet with a sheet of lightly greased foil or parchment paper. Spread the butternut squash pieces into a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup and season with salt and pepper.  
3. Toss together and bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once during cooking until squash is tender and browned. Remove from the oven and let cool. 
4. Make the salad dressing by mixing all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl, slowly streaming in the olive oil until the dressing comes together and doesn’t separate. 
5. Make the salad by adding the kale leaves and brussels sprouts to a large salad bowl. Top with remaining salad ingredients, drizzle with vinaigrette dressing and toss the salad together. 
6. Serve immediately with additional dressing, cranberries, and pecans. 

Nutritional Information

• Total time: 45 minutes
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 6

Serving Size: 1 cup salad with dressing

Macros/serving

• Calories:  402 kcal
• Fat: 33.9g (43%)
• Protein: 6.7g
• Carbs: 22.2g (8%)
• Fiber: 3.4g (12%)
• Total Sugars: 6.8g
• Net Carbs: 18.8g