roasted delicata squash and pomegranate salad with caramelized shallot vinaigrette
Somebody overindulged on Super Bowl Sunday. Not talking about myself or anything.
Really, though, food is the essence of football season, and especially during the February ultimatum. I still wouldn’t dub myself a football fan, but I did learn a few bits about the sport as we watched the playoffs and gained a bit more appreciation for how tough and strategic it truly is. I don’t think I’ll become one of those who prepares a massive spread on every week’s gameday, but as the Bucs blew through the playoffs, I admittedly had a ton of fun planning our two-person catering menu.
Now, we’re back to our regularly scheduled eating. My LV snackboards wiped out any indulgent cravings laying dormant in my soul beforehand, and I’m ready to have a normal week of intake. This salad is an awesome place to start if you want fulfilling, crave a bit of sweet and savory, but can’t stand to stare at another plate of tortilla chips and instead desire nutrients and greens and all that good stuff for which I tend to vouch on VE.
My grocers still have delicata squash on the shelves, but if yours have picked any sign of winter from their inventory, sweet potatoes are a befutting substitute for the striped fiend called for in this recipe. Roast up whichever you find with a bit of honey and paprika, then lace a big bed of greens with the finished starch as well as a good heap of pomegranate, bleu cheese crumbles, and sliced oranges.
The vinaigrette takes little science as well. You can certainly mix it by hand, but I love the creamy, emulsified texture resulting from a trip to the food processor. Saute the shallots for a little bit until golden and fragrant, then toss them in your preferred whipping vessel with some maple syrup, oil, cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and a bit of salt and pepper until well combined. Pour as much as you please over your salad, and save the rest for salads future.
What was your favorite Super Bowl snack? If you try this recipe out, leave a comment below with your thoughts! Don’t forget to stop by Instagram, show me what you’ve made, and say hello along the way.
Looking for more salads?
Baja Tempeh Taco Salad with Chili Honey Lime Vinaigrette
Winter Quinoa Salad with Honey Baked Figs and Sweet Apple Tahini Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 small delicata squash, guts removed and sliced into half moons *see note
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 cups mixed greens (I used kale and spinach)
- 1 orange, peeled and sliced into rings
- 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
caramelized shallot vinaigrette
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss delicata squash rings with honey, olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper, then spread around baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, turning midway through. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
- To make the dressing: caramelize the shallots. Toss shallot in olive oil in a small pan and heat over low for 8-10 minutes until soft and golden. Monitor the heat closely to prevent burning. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. To the bowl of a food processor, add shallot, maple syrup, cider vinegar, dijon, olive oil, salt and pepper. Whip until oil emulsifies and vinaigrette thickens. Dressing will keep for about a week refrigerated in an airtight jar or container.
- To assemble the salad, heap greens into a large bowl. Nestle orange slices and delicata squash evenly throughout, then fill in the cracks with gorgonzola. Sprinkle pomegranate arils atop. Add dressing when ready to serve.
