Roasted Squash Salad With Whipped Feta

Impress your dinner guests with this gorgeous Roasted Squash Salad With Whipped Feta, toasted pumpkin seeds and an incredible sweet and sour date dressing drizzled over top. Best part: all components are make-ahead friendly!

What are the ingredients in this Roasted Squash Salad with Whipped Feta?

This recipe combines easy to find ingredients prepared in simple but elegant ways for a delightfully festive and delicious squash salad with top notch presentation. Here are my tips on which ingredients to use and where to find them at the store:

• dates – I can usually find dates at the edge of the produce section near the dried fruit, or sometimes on random shelves under the produce tables. The pits are very easy to remove yourself, so no need to worry about buying pitted vs non pitted dates.
• squash – Any autumn squash will taste delicious in this recipe, with each kind having their own influence on the final taste of the whole dish. I prefer to use delicata squash, as it is a favorite of mine and does not require peeling.
• garlic powder – I’m a huge garlic lover, so naturally I added a touch of garlic powder to the roasting squash for a subtle background flavor.
• extra virgin olive oil – For roasting the veggies and making our sauces, some oil is necessary! You can use regular olive oil for roasting, but I vote stick with EVOO for the dressings for the best flavor.
• salt – Salt brings out the flavors of all these ingredients! Kosher salt or fine sea salt will both work.
• red onion – Roasting red onions brings out an incredible sweetness in the onion you won’t believe. It’s quite different from raw onions.
• feta cheese – Use your favorite brand of crumbled feta. Some brands are more salty than others, so keep than in mind when tasting later. I strongly prefer Athenos brand over President brand.
• Greek yogurt – A thick Greek yogurt will help the feta whip up but still stay nice and thick after being refrigerated too. My favorite brand of Greek yogurt is Fage.
• lemon – To offset the salty goodness of the cheese, a bit of lemon helps balance the whipped feta and compliment the rest of the ingredients.
• pumpkin seeds – At my grocery store, they sell shelled pumpkin seeds near all the store packaged nuts and candies (sort of by the bakery?). Maybe this is a weird Seattle thing, I don’t know ha
• red wine vinegar – This is the ‘sour’ part of the sweet and sour dressing. Not actually sour, but while red wine vinegar is pretty mild, it still gives you that bite that contrasts perfectly with the sweetness of the blended dates.
• cilantro – A bit of cilantro not only looks good visually but adds a nice fresh zing to the whole dish.
• flaky sea salt – Finally, to bring everything together, a bit of flaky sea salt is the best way to finish the whole dish. However, it’s okay if you don’t have this too 🙂

Equipment you’ll need to make this roasted squash salad:

You do need a few different items to make this squash salad turn out as intended. Of course, to cut the squash, you’ll need a sharp knife and cutting board. The whipped feta and dressing require a small blender, and a sheet pan is needed for roasting. Here are the details:

• For my chef’s knife, I recommend a Misen Chef’s Knife (affiliate link!) – super high quality while also being affordable.
• For my cutting board, I always use this Greener Chef XL Bamboo Cutting Board (affiliate link!) for cutting everything other than raw meat (for that I use a dishwasher safe plastic cutting board).
• For blending, I recently made the switch from my NutriBullet (which I broke after 8 years of use) to The Beast Mini Blender (affiliate link!). This thing is sleek, functional, and takes up very little space. I’m liking it so far!
• Don’t forget a rimmed half sheet pan (affiliate link!) for roasting! I have two of these that I use constantly for baking and roasting. Rimmed is the way to go (so nothing spills or rolls off!).

How to make this Roasted Squash Salad with Whipped Feta:

While the instructions may look complex (uhm, Danielle, 7 steps?) it’s really just a little prep of each component (roasted veg, date dressing, whipped feta, toasty seeds), and then you put it allllll together. I promise it’s nothing complicated! All components can be made ahead if you want. Here’s how it goes on prep day:

First, pour 1/4 cup of boiling water over the dates in the bottom of a very small cup or bowl. The water should be mostly covering the dates so they can soften up while you prepare the other components. Preheat the oven to 400F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Grab your squash, cutting board, and sharp chef’s knife. Cut the squash into roughly 1 inch wedges or quarter moons (depending on variety). Use a spoon to remove the seeds, and remove the skin with a peeler if needed. Remove the skin of a butternut squash, but leave the skins of a delicata, honeynut or an acorn squash, for example.

For a full list of which squash skins to leave and which to remove, read more in this article Can You Eat The Skin of Winter Squash? from Simply Recipes.

In a large bowl, toss the cut squash together with 1 tablespoon of the oil, garlic powder, and a generous amount of salt. Then, spread it across 1 1/2 of the baking sheets. Next, toss the onion in the same bowl with a little more salt and 1/2 tablespoon oil, then spread it across the final 1/2 of the baking sheet as well.

Roast the squash and onions for 20-30 minutes, rotating the sheets and turning the squash pieces half way until everything is tender and slightly golden. If the onions are browning too quickly, you can remove them 5 or so minutes early. Simply transfer the 1/2 sheet pan of squash to the other pan for the last 5 minutes.

Once the veggies are in the oven, move on to the whipped feta. To start, blitz the feta, Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and lemon juice together in a mini food processor or strong bullet blender. A Nutribullet works well – so does The Best Mini Blender which I recently tried for the first time!

Depending on your blending device, you will most likely need to stop to scrape down the sides a couple of times to get a completely smooth mixture. It should be quite thick, so please be patient. Once it’s done, transfer to a small bowl with lid – this way you can store it in the fridge until you assemble the salad or use whenever needed.

Next, the pumpkin seeds. In a small dry frying pan over a medium high heat, toast the pumpkin seeds for 5 minutes or so until they’re split and popping, giving them an occasional stir as you go. Honestly, it might even be a little startling when they start popping, so just be aware that it sounds almost like popcorn! Once the seeds are done toasting, transfer them to a small bowl and let them cool – they will keep popping for a bit!

The final component is the sweet and sour date dressing. Wash out the food processor or blender you used for the whipped feta. Blend together the soaked dates, any leftover soaking liquid, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a pinch of kosher salt. Gradually add more water as needed to get an almost smooth, drizzle-consistency dressing. It’s okay if a few small pieces of date remain. Give it a taste to see how you like it on its own!

Last step: Assembly. This can be done right after making the components if serving immediately, or from their separate bowls if previously prepared. Start by swirling the whipped feta across a large serving dish. Pile on the roasted squash, and scatter the roasted onions on top of both. Follow with the toasted pumpkin seeds, and drizzle over the dressing. Add the fresh cilantro, and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Beautiful!

How to assemble this squash salad:

For the best presentation, you’ll want to plate this salad layer by layer and do not mix or jostle the plate. Serve with a large serving spoon or serving tongs. Here are the assembly steps one-by-one:

1. Start by swirling the whipped feta across a large serving dish. You want it to peak out all around the edges of the platter.
2. Pile the roasted squash on top of the whipped feta. Do this carefully, as quick movements or falling squash can smear the whipped feta swirls.
3. Scatter the roasted onions on top of the squash.
4. Follow with the toasted pumpkin seeds. You don’t have to use them all, and any leftovers can be put in a small serving container on the side to be added to individual servings.
5. Drizzle the dressing over the top. Again, no need to use it all. More can be added to individual servings depending on preference.
6. Add the fresh cilantro, and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if you have it.

Best tips for making this Roasted Squash Salad with Whipped Feta:

Here are my best tips to help you have success with this recipe at home in your own kitchen:

• Have patience when blending the whipped feta. You might have to push the ingredients down from the sides or shake the blender to continue processing everything. Be patient and give it a few tries before adding any more oil or liquid, as we want to keep it thick.
• Keep an eye on the onions roasting. Depending on your oven, they may start to brown a little fast. Be sure to rotate your sheet pans in the oven to help cook the veggies more evenly.
• Don’t be afraid to get creative while assembling! The first time I smeared whipped feta on a bare plate, it did feel weird. But it’s such a good way to distribute the whipped feta while not smothering it over the entire salad. And it’s fun!!

What to serve with this squash salad:

This Roasted Squash Salad With Whipped Feta is quite versatile and can be paired with a variety of main dishes, especially on the holiday table! Serve it as part of a larger meal with main dish protein such as ham or chicken.

Ways to meal prep this recipe:

This roasted squash salad recipe was developed with the idea that some or all of the components can be prepared ahead of time, and the final dish can be assembled right before serving. Here’s a little more info:

• The squash and onions can be roasted up to 2 days ahead.
• The whipped feta can be made 3 days ahead.
• The date dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead.
• This dish can be assembled and served from the fridge or at room temperature. 
• All components can be made ahead and stored in airtight containers in the fridge (except keep the toasted pumpkin seeds on the counter).

Is this recipe freezer-friendly?

No, I would not recommend freezing this recipe. It is meant to be served once it is assembled.

How to store Roasted Squash Salad with Whipped Feta:

Prepared recipe components can be stored in separate airtight containers in the fridge before assembling and serving. Leftover assembled squash salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, but it will not look as pretty as the day it was assembled!

How to reheat Roasted Squash Salad with Whipped Feta:

I recommend serving this dish slightly chilled or at room temperature, instead of reheating.

Recipe developed by Rachel Phipps.