This Warm Butternut Squash, Lentil, & Feta Salad is not only incredibly flavorful but also a filling main course salad. Lightly dressed with a quick vinaigrette and dinner is served.
If you want a light salad that is still filling, then look no further than this warm butternut squash salad. The roasted butternut squash is creamy and pairs great with lentils, sharp feta cheese, and spinach. It’s all dressed with a quick vinaigrette. All that’s missing is a hunk of bread and hungry bellies.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Butternut Squash – roasted with olive oil, salt, and black pepper
- Olive Oil
- Spices – red chili pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper
- Feta Cheese – crumbled
- Brown Lentils – cooked in chicken stock
- Red Bell Pepper – roasted and peeled, or jarred
- Spinach Leaves – washed and dried
- Dijon Mustard
- Herbs – parsley
- Red Onions & Garlic
- Toasted Pistachios
You could really experiment with this recipe by switching up the butternut squash with roasted acorn squash or patty pan’s. You could also swap chunks of bleu cheese or aged parmesan for the feta. The sky is the limit on this one. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Warm Butternut Squash, Lentil & Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded and cubed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 3 cups chicken stock or water
- 2 cups dry brown lentils
- 1 red pepper - roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
- ½ cup reduced-fat feta cheese
- 3 handfuls baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley - coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons roasted pistachios - chopped
Vinaigrette:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove - coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º F. On a large rimmed baking sheet add the butternut squash cubes, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper and 1 tablespoon chili powder. Toss to coat the squash. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Test doneness by piercing the squash with a fork. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the lentils and turn to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- In a small mason jar add the vinaigrette ingredients and add the lid. Shake vigorously to combine.
- In a large bowl add the red pepper, feta, spinach, parsley, pistachios, squash, lentils and vinaigrette. Toss to combine and serve immediately.
More Salad Recipes We Love
- Kale Salad with Garlic Tarragon Dressing
- Warm Potato Salad with Sausage and Cotija
- Chinese Chicken Salad
Recipe By:
Co-Founder at Spiceology | More About Heather…
Heather is a recipe developer and content creator living in Vancouver, Washington. She started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006, almost 20 years ago, as a way to share recipes with friends and family. Heather is also the co-founder of Spiceology , a unique spice company, which she started in 2013. She shares family friendly recipes for easy everyday meals with a gourmet twist.
A simple recipe I hope you’ll love
I’ve been making this for a while now and my husband loves it, however, we had one question – are you really calling for a tablespoon of salt? We’ve cut that each time because I thought maybe you meant a teaspoon. I’ve never used more than 1 1/2 teaspoons for the whole thing.. Just wanted to make sure. Thanks!
Love this!! Featuring you and this recipe on my business page on FB! Keep up your great work!
Hi, wondering how this keeps/refrigerates?
Making this as a side dish to Christmas dinner with the family!
I made this last night (without trying it ahead of time) for a mix of omnivores and vegetarians – they loved it! A huge hit! Everyone had seconds, and some thirds. People liked the layers of color involved, somehow it made the snow outside seem a bit warmer.
Soooo yummy! Added chorizo and will definitely be repeating this recipe 🙂 thanks heaps.
This combo of flavors is delicious! I made this today. I used yams instead of squash and roasted some onion with it, but that combo of lentil, feta, and the vinaigrette is so tasty! And it’s easy to make small changes to suit your tastes.
So glad you enjoyed it Julia. I love the addition of yams. I happen to love all things yam. 🙂 Thanks for stopping in to let me know how the recipe worked for you. Comments like this make my day!! Happy Monday!
~Heather