Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad | www.floatingkitchen.net

Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

This post was originally published here March 6, 2014. I’ve since updated the photographs. This is one of my favorite vegan, gluten-free salads to make with butternut squash. I hope you try it out!

Summer produce may be a thing of the past, but that doesn’t mean I’m saying goodbye to my Big F*cking Salads (or “BFS” for short). I’m still enthusiastically eating a BFS every single day. Yes, they now tend to be more substantial and “stick to your ribs” than the lighter BFSs I enjoyed over the Summer months, sometimes even forgoing the inclusion of leafy greens entirely. But I’m totally embracing them for what they are: (1) delicious, (2) a great way to help me consume a variety of plants, and (3) a way to keep me excited about the changes in seasonal produce.

And here is what I humbly suggest should be your new favorite Fall BFS: Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad.

Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad | www.floatingkitchen.net

This Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad is one of those dishes that is so much greater than the sum of its parts. It’s mostly made up of just two ingredients: roasted butternut squash and chickpeas. There is a small sprinkling of diced red onion and fresh cilantro. But at its core, this salad is pretty basic. And I’m very alright with that. Because it means I can make it often and simply from memory. And most of the time I can even make it without having to take an extra trip to the grocery store.

Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad | www.floatingkitchen.net

Tahini-based dressings will always be some of my favorite salad dressing. Which is another reason why this Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad is so gosh darn irresistible. The dressing is creamy, nutty and luscious. It really ties all the ingredients together into one cohesive dish. And it’s so good, I can even eat it straight off the spoon. So if it were me (hint, hint), I might consider making up a double batch to have on hand and use throughout the week on other salads and roasted vegetables.

As the title of this recipe implies, this salad should ideally be served warm. It just makes it that much more satisfying. Although I’ve been known to eat the leftovers straight from the refrigerator. And I won’t judge you if you do that, too.

Cheers,

Liz

Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

At a Glance:
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • 4 cups peeled and cubed (about 1-inch cubes) butternut squash
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

For the Dressing:

  • 3 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. 
  2. Add the butternut squash and minced garlic to a 9 X 13-inch baking pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the allspice, salt and black pepper, tossing to coat. Transfer the baking pan to your pre-heated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the butternut squash is soft. 
  3. Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the dressing together in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
  4. Remove the baking pan from your oven. Add the chickpeas, red onion and tahini dressing to the roasted butternut squash. Toss to coat everything in the dressing. Then add and stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately while still warm.
  5. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 2-3 days. 

Notes

Recipe barely adapted from Food52.

12 comments on “Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad”

  1. Now this is the kind of winter salad I can get on board with. I’ve been having tahini sauce on almost everything lately so this looks like a good excuse to continue the trend 🙂

    Natalie Tamara @

  2. I love these kinds of salads, especially when it’s freezing out! And anything with chickpeas is a winner.

  3. Absolutely delicious thanks! Even my almost 2 year old was loving it! I roasted the onions with the squash because I don’t like raw onions and it was really good. It was a great addition to Christmas dinner ?

  4. I’m loving the simple ingredients and flavors of this salad, Liz! I declare we need a recipe roundup of BFS!! Posthaste!

  5. thank you, like the different kind of salad with this and appreciate a big salad that’s not all lettuce! Chickpeas are nice too for the protein and great flavor with the dressing, thank you!

    • Yes, same! I love a big green salad, but it’s nice to change it up in the Fall and Winter! This feels much more cozy.

  6. Warm butternut squash and chickpea salad is a great dish for a winter meal. It is easy to make and can be made ahead of time. The salad has a mix of textures and colors that make it pleasing to the eye as well as the palate. The butternut squash is roasted and then combined with crispy chickpeas, baby spinach, feta cheese, and a tangy dressing. This salad can be served as a main course or as a side dish. It is sure to please everyone at the table.

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