This beautiful fall salad is made with roasted squash, nutritious vegetables, nuts and berries, and is served with a creamy tahini and garlic dressing. Whole30 & Paleo-friendly!
Ingredients
For roasted vegetables
- ½ large kabocha squash Japanese/Kent pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of pepper
- 3-4 small red onions cut in halves
- 1 head garlic 10-12 cloves, unpeeled
- Parchment paper + flat baking tray
Tahini garlic dressing
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove crushed or grated
- 1 tablespoon tahini light
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch of pepper
- ½ tablespoon honey omit for Whole30
For the salad
- 2 cups salad leaves mixed, these go on the bottom
- ½ cup almonds skinless or regular, toasted if you like
- 2 medium beets cooked and vacuum sealed or from a tin, sliced
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes sliced
- 1 large zucchini shaved into ribbons using a peeler
- 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons mixed seeds of choice I used pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and flaxseeds – all part of the salad seed mix I had on hand
- A handful of berries such as red currants blueberries or raspberries or pomegranate seeds (sliced peach or apple would also work)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F. Line a flat baking tray with a piece of parchment paper and set aside.
- Peel the squash and remove the seeds. Cut it into slices and then dice those into medium-sized cubes. I like to leave some of the squash as slices as well, especially if I want to use it in more than just a salad. Add the squash to a large mixing bowl, season with salt, paprika, onion and garlic powders, and pepper, and drizzle with olive. Toss through and transfer onto the baking tray. Scatter the garlic around and add the onion halves. Place the tray in the oven, middle shelf, for 25-30 minutes. Once cooked, remove the tray and let the vegetables to cool slightly.
- While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the rest of the salad ingredients and mix together the salad dressing.
- If you want to toast the almonds, heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the nuts for 3-4 minutes, stirring them every 30 seconds or so, until lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- I like to assemble this salad on a large platter with all of the key elements grouped separately and the dressing served on the side. Scatter the berries, seeds and herbs all over.
- You can, of course, mix it all in a large bowl or serve the salad in individual bowls. If making the salad ahead of time, make sure to leave the dressing out until service time.
Nutrition
Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 564mg | Potassium: 1778mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 10844IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 202mg | Iron: 5mg
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