South African Style – Roasted Butternut Salad with Pomegranate and Date Dressing

Tender oven-roasted butternut is tossed with warm spices, layered with crisp salad greens, juicy pomegranate seeds and creamy feta, then finished with a naturally sweet homemade date dressing. Perfect as a light meal or elegant side dish.

Packed with colour and flavour, this healthy roasted butternut salad combines spiced butternut squash, fresh greens and antioxidant-rich pomegranate seeds. A smooth date and apple cider dressing adds natural sweetness without refined sugar, making this salad ideal for wholesome lunches, festive tables or meal prep.

This crowd-pleasing salad packs a huge punch of warm, sweet and spicy flavours and textures: Soft and creamy spiced squash, almonds, feta cheese, pomegranate and date dressing. A mouthwatering combination!

Ingredients and short instructions below

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut, peeled and cubed
• ½ – 1 tsp virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp freshly ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp cinnamon 
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• washed salad greens of your choice
• handful of petite herb leaf salad
• 2 round pieces of feta cheese, crushed
• 6 dates, pitted and halved
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• ¼ – ½ cup almonds, chopped
• freshly ground salt and black pepper

Date Dressing

• 5 tbsp virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 date, pitted
• 1 clove of garlic
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• freshly ground salt and black pepper
• 2 – 3 tbsp water, add more if needed to blend

Instructions

Butternut

1. Preheat the oven to 218°C / 425°F
2. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper, or spray with Cook & Spray
3. Place the butternut squash cubes on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper
4. Toss to coat and spread evenly on the baking sheet
5. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until tender and browned around the edges
6. Remove from oven and let it cool slightly

Spice mix for butternut

1. In a small bowl, stir together the cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Set aside
2. While the roasted butternut is still warm, toss with the spice mixture

Cider Date Dressing

1. In a blender, combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, date, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and water
2. Add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of water if needed to blend

Salad Bowl Plating

1. Assemble the salad starting with the salad leaves and layer half of the roasted butternut
2. Drizzle with half of the cider dressing, layer again with the salad leaves, roasted butternut and sprinkle the petite herb leaf salad and date halves
3. Add the pomegranates, almonds and feta cheese on top of the salad and add the remaining cider dressing 

Serve immediately!

Healthy Roasted Butternut Salad with Pomegranate Seeds

Irene Muller

A delicious pomegranate and date dressing takes this roasted butternut salad to the next level

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Brunch, Dinner, lunch

Cuisine South African

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1 small butternut, peeled and cubed
• ½ tsp virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp freshly ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• washed salad greens of your choice
• handful of petiote herb leaf salad optional
• 2 round pieces of feta cheese crushed or cubed
• 6 pitted dates halved
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• ¼ to ½ cup almonds chopped
• freshly ground salt and black pepper to taste

Date Dressing

• 5 tbsp virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 date pitted
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ground salt and black pepper
• 2-3 tbsp water add more if needed to blend

Instructions

 

Butternut

• Preheat the oven to 218°C / 425°F
  
• Line a large baking sheet with baking paper, or spray with Cook & Spray
• Place the butternut squash cubes on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Toss to coat and spread evenly on the baking sheet
• Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until tender and browned around the edges
• Remove from oven and let it cool slightly

Spice Mix for Butternut

• In a small bowl, stir together the cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Set aside
• While the roasted butternut is still warm, toss with the spice mixture

Cider Date Dressing

• In a blender, combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, date, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and water
• Add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of water if needed to blend

Salad Bowl Plating

• Assemble the salad starting with the salad leaves and layer half of the roasted butternut
• Drizzle with half of the cider dressing, layer again with the salad leaves, roasted butternut and sprinkle the petite herb leaf salad and date halves
• Add the pomegranates, almonds and feta cheese on top of the salad and add the remaining cider dressing 

Serve immediately

Keyword Butternut