Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Feta and Pomegranate

This vibrant no-peel roasted butternut squash salad is PACKED with color and flavor. Loaded with creamy feta, juicy pomegranate seeds, a punchy miso dressing, and crunchy salted honey pumpkin seeds, it’s a gorgeous addition to any spread. You can prep everything ahead too, making it a lovely side forThanksgiving, Christmas, garden parties, or BBQs.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad, at a Glance

⏰ Total time: 50 minutes

🍽 Servings: 6 as a side

🛒 Key Ingredients: Butternut squash, feta, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, white miso paste, olive oil, honey

🧠 Skill Level: Easy – most of the cooking time is spent roasting

💪 Prep Ahead: Prepare each element separately, then assemble before serving. You can even assemble it a couple of hours in advance.

💃 Perfect For: Thanksgiving and Christmas spreads, Sunday roasts, fall entertaining, or meal prep

💕 Why You’ll Love: Festive colors and flavors, looks gorgeous on a table, easy to make, transports brilliantly, and genuinely delicious.

My Go-To Salad for Entertaining

Color, texture, flavor. There are just so many wonderful things going on in this vibrant salad. It’s exactly the kind of salad I love having on the table for a festive spread, but it works equally well for a BBQ or garden party.

Think sweet, creamy squash, salty feta, fresh pomegranate seeds, a sharp miso dressing, and the MOST delicious crunchy topping. You can prep everything in advance (even assemble if needed), so it’s a fab one to have up your sleeve during any entertaining kitchen chaos (I’m looking at you, Thanksgiving and Christmas).

I also don’t peel the squash, because it’s possibly one of my least favorite kitchen jobs, and it works perfectly. The skin softens as it roasts, and saves you a fiddly prep job.

But my favorite part might be those salted honey candied pumpkin seeds. They’re sweet, salty, gorgeously crunchy, and make the salad feel a little special. Just try not to snack on the lot before they make it onto the salad!

“LOVE this recipe, we’ve made it a couple of times now! But those salted seeds are very dangerous….it’s hard not to keep eating them… xx”

– Kara

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Ingredients You’ll Need

• Butternut squash. As I mentioned above, you don’t need to peel it. You could also use another sweet pumpkin, like Delica or Acorn, or sweet potato instead.
• Feta. This provides a salty, creamy element that pairs so well with the rest of the salad. Try switching it out for creamy blue cheese or chunks of pan-fried halloumi for a different twist.
• Pomegranate seeds. These juicy little jewels are so gorgeously festive and provide a wonderful pop of color and freshness to the salad. If you can’t find a pomegranate, you could use seedless red grapes cut into quarters or dried cranberries.
• Pumpkin seeds. These add color and crunch to the salad. I like using a mix of the actual rinsed seeds from the squash and regular green pumpkin seeds. You could also use sunflower seeds.
• Arugula (rocket). I love the peppery flavor of arugula, but you can use any leafy green – baby spinach is great too.
• White miso paste. This gorgeous fermented paste adds a savory depth to the salad, to balance the sweetness of the honey and the squash itself.
• Honey. You’ll use this in the dressing and for the crispy salted honey pumpkin seeds. Regular runny honey is fine, or you could use maple syrup.

How to Make the Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

This is a step-by-step photo overview of how to make the salad – the full recipe with ingredient quantities is at the bottom of the page for you.

1. Slice the squash into cubes (there’s no need to peel it), then arrange them on a parchment-paper-lined sheet pan.

1. Roast the squash cubes until lightly charred. You want them to be able to hold their shape in the salad.

1. While the squash cooks, mix the dressing and make the crispy salted honey pumpkin seeds.

1. Transfer the crispy pumpkin seeds to a lined plate to crisp up.

Kate’s Top Tip

It’s super important to transfer the salted honey pumpkin seeds to a parchment-paper-lined plate or tray.

This prevents them from sticking to the plate or tray, and making a big mess. I have made this mistake!

1. Arrange three-quarters of the rocket on a serving platter, then toss the rest onto the tray with the cooked squash. Drizzle half the dressing on top and mix to coat well.

1. Transfer to the serving platter, top with crumbled feta, pour over the remaining dressing, then finish with the pomegranate seeds and crispy pumpkin seeds.

Make It a Meal, Whatever the Season

This lovely salad is a gorgeous addition to a sharing spread, and works just as well in warmer months as it does in the fall and winter. Here are two easy ways to build a menu around it:

1. For a festive feast: Serve it alongside your Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas ham, slow-roasted crispy pork belly, or my go-to juicy herb-roasted chicken, with crispy skin-on roast potatoes, grilled broccoli crunch salad, and no-yeast garlic butter dinner rolls.
2. For a summer BBQ or garden party: Pair it with honey harissa chicken, sticky gochujang chicken, or sticky miso chicken, along with whipped spicy cottage cheese dip, crispy smashed potato salad, and a big pile of two-ingredient dough garlic flatbreads.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad FAQs

Do I need to peel the butternut squash?

No! I leave it on to save a very annoying, fiddly prep job. The skin softens as the squash roasts, and I find it works perfectly well in the salad.

If you’d prefer to peel it, you absolutely can.

Can I use a different pumpkin in the salad?

Yes! Any sweet pumpkin will be great – Delica or Acorn would be lovely (but you may need to peel them) – as would sweet potato.

Can I make the roasted butternut squash salad in advance?

This salad is brilliant for making ahead of time. You can have everything prepared separately and then just assemble when you’re ready:

– You can roast the squash a couple of days in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
– The dressing can be made a week in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container or jar.
– The crispy pumpkin seeds will keep well for a week in an airtight container at room temperature.

Then all you’ll need to do is arrange the rocket, mix the dressing through the squash, and scatter over the feta and pomegranate seeds. Just make sure the squash is at room temperature when you serve the salad for the best flavor.

What can I use instead of feta in the salad?

Try using creamy blue cheese, sharp cheddar, pan-fried chunks of halloumi, or even dollops of Boursin or cream cheese.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @Zageer on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.

This vibrant no-peel roasted butternut squash salad is PACKED with color and flavor. Loaded with creamy feta, juicy pomegranate seeds, a punchy miso dressing, and crunchy salted honey pumpkin seeds, it’s a gorgeous addition to any spread. You can prep everything ahead too, making it a lovely side forThanksgiving, Christmas, garden parties, or BBQs.Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 50 mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

For the salad –

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large butternut squash, approximately 1 ½ kg or 3 lb, unpeeled
• 100 g feta, crumbled (3.5 oz)
• 2 large handfuls of arugula (rocket)
• ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds

For the dressing –

• 1 tablespoon white miso paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey

For the crispy salted honey pumpkin seeds –

• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, use the ones from your butternut squash or from a packet – I like to use a mix
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt

Method

1. Prepare the butternut squash.Heat your oven to 400°F (200℃) and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. There’s no need to peel your squash. I like the contrast of the crispy skin and soft center, and the skin will soften in the oven. Set the squash onto a large board, then carefully cut it in half lengthways. Use a teaspoon to scoop the seeds out, then set them aside. Chop each half into bite-sized cubes.
If you'd prefer to peel your squash, or if it seems a bit thick, you are very welcome to.
2. Roast the butternut squash.Arrange the cubed squash on the prepared sheet pan, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Give them a mix, then smooth them out into one layer on the tray.Roast for 40 minutes, giving the squash a mix halfway through, until the edges are starting to look charred.
PRO TIP: We're arranging them in one layer on the sheet pan to make sure they roast evenly and don't steam and go soggy. Split the squash onto two sheet pans if needed.
3. Make the dressing.Add 1 tablespoon of white miso paste, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 2 teaspoons of honey to a small bowl. Give it a good mix with a fork until smooth and creamy, then set aside.
4. Make the salted honey pumpkin seeds.Rinse your set-aside squash seeds under water to remove any squash residue, then dry them with a paper towel. Add them to a small dry pan over low heat. Toast, stirring the seeds for a couple of minutes until they smell fragrant and start to brown.Add 2 teaspoons of honey and mix it through the seeds for another minute. The honey will sizzle and bubble up as you do this. Remove the pan from the heat, then scatter over the sea salt and mix through. Transfer to a plate lined with parchment paper and spread them into a single layer as they cool and crisp up.
PRO TIP: It's very important to line your plate. The seeds will firm up as they sit, and they'll stick to your plate if you don't, which will make them very hard to get off (I have made this mistake!)
5. Assemble the salad.I like to serve this salad by arranging the different layers on a platter, rather than mixing everything in a bowl. This way, you can really see every part of the salad and all the lovely colors.Place three-quarters of the arugula on the base of a large serving platter. Throw the other quarter of the arugula onto the squash on the sheet pan. Pour half the dressing over the roasted squash and arugula, then give it a mix so the squash and rocket are well coated.
6. Garnish and serve.Transfer them on top of the arugula that's already on the platter. Crumble over the feta, then evenly pour the rest of the dressing all over the salad. Finish with the pomegranate seeds, then break off shards of the salted honey pumpkin seeds and scatter them all over the salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 200g
Calories: 263kcal
Carbohydrates: 34.3g
Protein: 6.9g
Fat: 13.3g
Saturated Fat: 3.7g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 6.6g
Cholesterol: 15mg
Sodium: 799mg
Potassium: 901mg
Fiber: 5.5g
Sugar: 10.6g
Vitamin A: 24149IU
Vitamin C: 50.3mg
Calcium: 206mg
Iron: 2.4mg

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: Switch out the butternut squash for another sweet pumpkin – like Delica or Acorn (you may need to peel them) – or use sweet potato. Swap the feta for pan-fried halloumi chunks, dollops of creamy blue cheese, cream cheese, goat’s cheese, or Boursin. You can use red grapes, cut into quarters if you can’t find a pomegranate, or use dried cranberries. PREP AHEAD: Roast the squash a couple of days in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge, make the dressing up to a week in advance and store it in the fridge in an airtight container or jar, and you can make the crispy pumpkin seeds a week in advance. They’ll keep well in an airtight container at room temperature. Then just arrange the rocket, mix the dressing through the squash, and scatter over the feta and pomegranate seeds when you’re ready to serve.