A warm autumn salad full of color and contrast: sweet roasted pumpkin, salty feta, crunchy nuts, and a fresh honey–balsamic dressing. Perfect for a weeknight or as a festive side. Serve straight after roasting for the best balance of warm and fresh.
Ingredients (2 servings)
Salad
- 300 g butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 2 cm)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- Salt and black pepper
- 75 g lamb’s lettuce or baby spinach
- 50 g feta, crumbled
- 2 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
- Handful of pomegranate seeds (optional)
Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp mild mustard
- Salt and pepper
Equipment
- Electric potato peeler (for peeling the squash)
- Electronic kitchen scale (for exact quantities)
- Air fryer
- Blender (optional, for an extra-smooth dressing)
- Bread maker (optional, for fresh bread on the side)
Method
-
Prep
Peel the squash with the electric peeler. Weigh out 300 g on the scale and cut into dice. -
Season
Toss the cubes with olive oil, honey, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a bowl. -
Roast
Preheat the air fryer to 190 °C. Spread the squash in a single layer and roast for 15–20 min until golden and tender; shake halfway. -
Dressing
Whisk oil, balsamic, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. For a silky texture, blitz briefly in the blender. -
Build
Divide lamb’s lettuce/spinach between plates. Add warm squash, red onion, walnuts, feta, and optional pomegranate. Spoon the dressing over.
Tips & variations
- Extra crunch: roast the walnuts in the air fryer for 4–5 min.
- Milder flavor: swap feta for soft goat’s cheese.
- Complete dinner: serve with warm slices of bread from the bread maker.
