This Thanksgiving Salad combines roasted butternut squash, candied nuts, feta, and dried cranberries, all finished with a simple dressing.
The Best Thanksgiving Salad
This salad is perfect for your Thanksgiving table, but it’s also a great pick for any Fall or winter meal! It adds color and freshness to your plate, plus it tastes amazing.
Making a salad with homemade dressing might seem like extra work during the busy holiday season, but this one is easy and can be made ahead.
The dressing needs just five ingredients, and the salad has five simple parts—most of which are store-bought and ready to go.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Thanksgiving Salad:
- Butternut Squash: Peel and cut into even pieces for easy roasting. Pre-cut squash saves time.
- Olive Oil: Helps roast the squash and adds a great flavor.
- Spinach & Greens: Use a mix of greens for more variety.
- Candied Pecans: Or swap with candied almonds or walnuts.
- Dried Cranberries: Or try dried cherries or raisins instead.
- Feta: Gives a tangy, creamy bite. Goat cheese works well too.
- Balsamic Dressing: I’ve dedicated a whole post to this dressing—it’s that good!
How To Make Thanksgiving Salad
- Roast Squash: Toss squash with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400°F for 25-30 minutes.
- Make Dressing: Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake well.
- Assemble: Combine greens, squash, pecans, cranberries, and feta.
- Dress: Toss with dressing and serve.
Serve this salad alongside these dishes for a perfect holiday menu:
- Crockpot Turkey Breast: A classic pairing for a holiday meal. Don’t forget the Cranberry Sauce!
- Mashed Potatoes: Rich and cozy next to the fresh salad.
- Thanksgiving Dressing: The perfect hearty side for your holiday meal.
- Dinner Rolls: Soft and buttery, the perfect way to finish the plate.
- Veggies: Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Storage
Storage And Make Ahead
- Enjoy Right Away: Eat the Thanksgiving Salad right after adding the dressing.
- Prep Ahead: The squash and dressing can be made 2-3 days ahead and kept in the fridge.
- Mix Dressing: If the dressing separates, let it sit for 15 minutes at room temp, then shake to mix.
More Delicious Holiday Salads
- Roasted Veggie Salad with a lemon dressing
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with make-ahead tips
- Wild Rice Salad with roasted sweet potatoes
- Pear Salad with a sweet raspberry dressing
- Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with oranges
Thanksgiving Salad
This Thanksgiving Salad features roasted butternut squash, crunchy candied pecans, creamy feta, and dried cranberries, all tossed in a light balsamic dressing.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- large sheet pan,
Ingredients
- 4 cups diced butternut squash see note 1
- 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach and mixed greens
- 1/3 cup honey-roasted pecan pieces see note 2
- 1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries or dried cherries
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 batch balsamic vinaigrette
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel squash and chop it into 1/2-inch pieces. Place on a large sheet pan and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange the squash in an even, spaced-out layer on the tray. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and stir. Return to oven and bake an additional 10–15 minutes or until crisp tender. Set aside and allow to cool before adding to salad.
- Click the link in the ingredient list and follow the instructions to make the balsamic dressing.
- Add greens to a large bowl. Add roasted (and cooled) squash, pecans, cranberries, and feta cheese.
- This salad is best served immediately after it’s dressed, so wait to add dressing until you’re ready to serve. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat. Add additional dressing to taste, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: For the squash, you’ll need one small-to-medium butternut squash, which yields about 4 cups when diced.
Note 2: You can use store-bought honey-roasted pecans or candy your own.
Storage: Once dressed, the salad is best enjoyed immediately. You can prep the squash and dressing 2–3 days ahead and store them in the fridge. The dressing may separate, so let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, then shake to recombine.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.7g | Protein: 2.9g | Fat: 13.4g | Cholesterol: 4.2mg | Sodium: 51.1mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 9.8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Loved it! A hit today at Thanksgiving!
So happy to hear that! Thanks Corrina 🙂
This salad looks delicious! I just got all of the ingredients and will bring this to my brothers Thanksgiving tomorrow. I’m sure it will be a huge hit and they will be surprised that I made it. Lol
Haha!! I hope its a huge hit 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!!
thanks for this i will try it
Soo excited to hear what you think! 🙂