This salad has all the textures and a delicious balance of sweet, salty, and bitter flavors. It’s a beautiful holiday side or make it a meal with added protein.
Squash gets roasted in lots of thyme until sweet, creamy, and caramelized. The warm squash gets tossed together with bitter radicchio, sweet crunchy apple, salty feta, and walnuts in a simple vinaigrette for a vibrant, hearty salad. You can top with any protein to make it a complete meal (like boiled eggs, chicken, steak, etc…)
Ingredient highlight
Radicchio! This beautiful chicory hails from Italy and has a distinct bitterness that is a great addition to salads and is also delicious roasted/grilled. Radicchio is rich in vitamin K, which is important for bone health and helps you absorb calcium better. It’s also a great source of both lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants important for eye health. One more thing! Bitter greens like arugula and radicchio help to stimulate digestion, making it a great way to start a meal.
Servings 4 (as a meal) or 6 (as a side)
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 25 minutes Ingredients
For the squash:
- 4-5 cups chopped winter squash, carrot, sweet potato, beets, or yellow potato (cut into ½-inch cubes/pieces)(from about 1.5-2 lbs)*
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the salad:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 head radicchio, chopped small (about 5 cups)
- 1 large crisp apple, chopped small (2 cups)
- 1 cup crumbled feta (~4-5 oz)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 6-8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, then chopped or grated (optional, or use other protein)
- Chopped fresh parsley (optional, for topping)
- *I like this best with winter squash, but any sweet starchy veggie will work. Make sure to cut it into ½-inch pieces so they roast quickly and you get more squash bites in the salad.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F convection or 450F regular bake. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the squash to the baking sheet along with the olive oil, thyme, and salt. Use your hands to thoroughly toss to coat. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until it is caramelized on the edges/bottoms. Let cool off for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil your eggs (if using or top with a different protein) if you haven’t already, then peel them.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil vinegar, mustard, and salt until combined. Add the radicchio, apple, feta, and walnuts. Add the warm roasted veg and toss well to coat.
- Serve topped with chopped or grated egg, black pepper and parsley (if using).
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 4-5 cups winter squash, etc… into ½-inch cubes/pieces
- Roast the squash
- Whisk together the dressing
- Chop 1 head radicchio into small pieces (about 5 cups)
- 1 large crisp apple, chopped small (2 cups)
- Crumble 1 cup feta
- Chop ½ cup walnuts
- Boil 6-8 eggs or cook any other protein
- Salad can be made ahead
Substitutions:
- To make nut-free, leave the nuts out entirely.
- You can sub any bitter salad green for the radicchio (chicories, endive) or you can always sub with finely chopped kale (massage it first!) or use a combo.
- Use a pear in place of apple
- Use any hard salty cheese in place of feta
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- This salad tastes best at room temp, so either let it sit out for a bit or pop it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds just to take the chill off.
- Serve it topped with fresh herbs and more nuts and cheese if you have any.
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