Harvest Butternut Squash Lentil Salad (2024)

Harvest Butternut Squash Lentil Salad is full of fall ingredients! Tossed in a sweet cider vinaigrette, it’s a healthy and delicious salad that works as a side dish or meatless main dish.

I’ve been loving fall salads this season and this Harvest Butternut Squash Lentil Salad is no exception. If you’ve tried any of my salad recipes you know that I’m all about tons of texture in them. I want plenty of crunch and chew, no one note blah salads for me.

This particular salad not only has tons of texture, but a delightful combination of sweet and savory flavors. It’s also a hearty salad that works well for lunch or a meatless main dish. The heartiness comes from both the lentils, which have lots of plant-based protein and fiber and the butternut squash which is also a good source of fiber and carbs.

What Do I Need to Make the Butternut Squash Lentil Salad?

• Lentils. You can use any variety, but my preference is to use French lentils or lentilles du Puy because they retain their shape and don’t get mushy. Brown, red and green lentils tend to break down more when cooked and work better in soups.
• Butternut Squash
• An apple
• Baby arugula or baby kale
• Dried cranberries
• Pepitas
• Apple cider
• Apple cider vinegar
• Shallot
• Dijon mustard
• Maple syrup

This salad uses one of my favorite vinaigrettes to make in the fall, cider vinaigrette. I first used it in this Roasted Butternut Squash Salad four years ago and have been making it ever since. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, which makes it a great pairing for a bitter green such as arugula or baby kale.

The vinaigrette is what you’ll want to make first when you make the salad. It’s cooked on the stove for about 8 minutes until it’s reduced. The cooking intensifies the apple cider flavor and takes out the pungent raw flavor from the shallot. While the vinaigrette cools you can make the rest of the salad.

I start by cooking the lentils. French lentils take approximately 20-25 minutes to cook. You want them to be tender, but still retain their shape and not be falling apart and mushy.

Do Lentils Have to be Soaked Before Cooking?

Nope. This is one of the reasons I love cooking with lentils. You will want to give them a rinse and search for any debris that needs to be removed before adding them to the pot to cook.

While the lentils cook, roast the butternut squash. I peel and cut it into about one inch cubes, then toss the cubes in olive oil, salt and pepper. By the time the lentils are cooked the squash should be almost done roasting. Let the lentils and squash cool to room temperature while you assemble the rest of the salad.

If you plan to eat the salad right away go ahead and add the vinaigrette to it, otherwise wait so that the arugula doesn’t wilt. This salad is best when eaten the first day, but if you don’t mind the wilted arugula (I didn’t mind) the leftovers are fantastic as well!

More Fall Salads

Fall Roasted Vegetable Panzanella Salad

Autumn Apple and Pear Salad

Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad