Warm Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Butternut Squash

roasted butternut squash heats goat cheese and slightly wilts spinach leaves in a bowl

Warm Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Butternut Squash

Warm spinach salad is chock full of healthy greens tossed in warm goat cheese and roasted butternut squash with your favorite salad dressing. Glazed pecans add a little sweetness.

Course Salads

Cuisine American

Keyword salads for a crowd, warm spinach goat cheese salad, warm spinach salad, wilted spinach

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 243kcal

Author Lauren

Ingredients

1 pound butternut squash diced, about 4 cups
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 10-ounce bag savoy spinach see notes
4 ounces goat cheese room temperature
½ cup glazed pecans
¼ cup vinaigrette dressing

Instructions

Roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 375°F and cut the butternut squash into roughly 1" inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread out in one layer on a sheet pan. Roasted for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once, until squash is well cooked and browned on the outside.
Ready the salad. While the butternut squash roasts, prepare the salad ingredients. Select a very large bowl for tossing the salad so you will have room for all the ingredients. Mix the spinach with your choice of vinaigrette dressing. Crumble the goat cheese with your hands over the spinach.
Toss together. When the butternut squash is done roasting transfer it directly from the pan to the bowl on top of the goat cheese. The heat from the butternut squash will melt the goat cheese and slightly wilt the spinach. Toss together so the goat cheese coats the spinach, but gently so the squash doesn't clump together.
Transfer the salad to a platter or smaller bowl for serving. This will allow for any butternut squash that fell to the bottom to land on top. Sprinkle with glazed pecans.

Notes

Bagged savoy spinach is already washed and ready to go. If using fresh spinach, you'll need about 6 to 8 cups. Baby spinach can be substituted but will wilt more than the savoy spinach. Kale can also be substituted for spinach.
When selecting a vinaigrette keep in mind a balsamic will taste great but will color the salad brown. Try shooting for a white balsamic or something equally acidic with savory flavors. Check out the post above for more recommendations.

Nutrition