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Home » Blog » Type » Salad » Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad {GF, Paleo, Vegan, Low Cal}

Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad {GF, Paleo, Vegan, Low Cal}

Published: Oct 31, 2022 by Megan

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Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad is a warm, low-calorie fall salad with roasted squash topped with a citrus cinnamon dressing! Paleo + Vegan + Low Calorie + Gluten Free

Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad is a warm fall salad with roasted squash topped with orange cinnamon dressing!

This healthy butternut squash salad! OMG - you will fall in love with it at first bite. It's one of those meals that melts in your mouth. And the orange cinnamon dressing with a touch of maple syrup, orange juice and cinnamon is like the icing on the cake!

If you're looking for the best fall squash salad, look no further. This salad is a winner and would be great for any cold weather meal or even as a holiday side salad!

This recipe was originally from 2015 and has been updated and retested for you. I forgot how much I love this butternut cranberry salad!

It's difficult for many of my clients to eat greens in the winter. My biggest tip is to eat them warm! Roasted butternut squash with greens paired with a citrus dressing makes the perfect pair for a cold weather salad.

Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad is a warm fall salad with roasted squash topped with orange cinnamon dressing!

Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad

Here's a few more reasons why this healthy butternut squash salad is good for you!

  • Low Calorie - The recipe makes 2 servings, each serving is 335 calories.
  • High Fiber - Squash and greens are a great source of fiber. This recipe has 7 grams per serving, which is a lot!
  • Gluten Free / Vegan / Paleo - All the ingredients are naturally gluten free, Paleo and vegan.
  • Easy - This butternut salad recipe only has 7 ingredients and is super easy to make.
  • Simple Ingredients - The ingredients are simple and seasonal making them easy to find and uncomplicated!
ingredients for butternut squash salad

Butternut Squash Salad Ingredients

You only need 7 ingredients to make this healthy butternut salad recipe!

  • Butternut Squash (I buy mine already cubed at the store)
  • Mixed Greens
  • Cinnamon
  • Dried Cranberries, low sugar
  • Orange Juice
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Maple Syrup

You will also need a sheet pan for roasting the butternut squash.

how to make a salad with butternut squash

How To Make A Salad With Butternut Squash

Here's how to make a healthy butternut squash salad with a low calorie dressing!

Step One - Preheat the oven and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the cubed butternut squash to the sheet pan.

Step Two - Sprinkle the cinnamon over the squash and bake 40 minutes in the oven.

Step Three - Mix together the ingredients for the dressing and refrigerate until the squash is done.

Step Four - Prepare the salad by adding the mixed greens, warm squash and cranberries together and topping with the dressing. Enjoy immediately warm!

Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad is a warm, low-calorie fall salad with roasted squash topped with a citrus cinnamon dressing!

Storing and Serving Gluten Free Butternut Squash Salad

  • Storing - If you are planning to store the salad to eat later, I recommend not assembling the full salad. Rather, store the squash in the refrigerator in a separate container separate from the mixed greens, cranberries and not using the dressing until you are ready to eat. That will prevent the salad from getting soggy and gross. A salad spinner does wonders for storing greens longer!
  • Freezing - I do not recommend freezing salad. You could make the dressing and freeze it though.
  • Reheating - To serve, reheat the butternut squash in the microwave, oven, toaster oven and then toss warm with the salad ingredients and dressing.
Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad is a warm, low-calorie fall salad with roasted squash topped with a citrus cinnamon dressing!

Substitutions Butternut Squash Salad

Here are the substitutions I recommend for this healthy salad recipe. Remember when you substitute ingredients, it will change the nutritional values from what you see in the recipe card at the end of this post!

  • Butternut Squash - You can use pre-cubed butternut squash like I did for the recipe, you can slice your own squash or use frozen butternut squash. If you use frozen squash, I recommend thawing the squash before roasting. Acorn squash, Hubbard squash, Delicata squash or buttercup squash would be great substitutes with this salad.
  • Mixed Greens - Any greens may be used for the salad! Hearty greens tend to go better in the winter like kale, spinach, collard greens, arugula, turnip greens, mustard greens, bok choy, cabbage or Swiss chard.
  • Dried Cranberries - Raisins may be substituted instead. Chopped apples or pears would also be delicious in place of the cranberries!
  • Orange Juice - I used freshly squeezed orange juice from an orange for this recipe. You can use regular orange juice if you prefer.
  • Maple Syrup - You can use honey or a zero calorie sweetener instead of maple syrup.
  • Protein - This salad does not have sufficient protein to call it a meal. I would definitely add a protein source on the side or to the salad if you want to make it a complete meal.
Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad is a warm, low-calorie fall salad with roasted squash topped with a citrus cinnamon dressing!

More Healthy Salad Recipes

  • Healthy Asian Broccoli Salad
  • Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
  • Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad
  • Low Calorie Tuna Pasta Salad
  • Healthy Greek Pasta Salad
  • BBQ Ranch Sweet Potato Salad
  • Chickpea Tomato Cucumber Salad
Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad is a warm, low-calorie fall salad with roasted squash topped with a citrus cinnamon dressing!

Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad

Megan Olson
Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad is a warm fall salad with roasted squash topped with orange cinnamon dressing! 
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings
Calories 335 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Salad

  • 3 cups Butternut Squash cubed
  • 6 cups Mixed Greens
  • 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries low sugar

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup Orange Juice
  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon Maple Syrup

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 F. Place cut butternut squash on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
  • Sprinkle the squash with cinnamon then roast 40 minutes until the squash is tender.
  • While the squash is roasting, mix together the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar or small bowl. Refrigerate until the squash is ready.
  • Remove the squash from the oven then assemble the salads by placing butternut squash on top of lettuce with dried cranberries and dressing.

Notes

  • My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my nutrition clients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 42mgPotassium: 1106mgFiber: 7gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 23822IUVitamin C: 103mgCalcium: 170mgIron: 3mg
Tried this Recipe? Let me know!Let us know how it was!

What I Used For The Recipe

Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad is a warm, low-calorie fall salad with roasted squash topped with a citrus cinnamon dressing!
Healthy Butternut Squash Cranberry Salad is a warm, low-calorie fall salad with roasted squash topped with a citrus cinnamon dressing!

About Megan

Megan is a certified nutrition practitioner, author, freelance food photographer and fitness instructor living in Phoenix, Arizona. On her blog, Skinny Fitalicious she shares EASY, gluten free recipes for weight loss. Follow Megan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says

    October 12, 2015 at 5:38 pm

    Looks so good! I love winder squash and cinnamon. Now if it would only cool off...

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 5:57 pm

      Right? It's back in triple digits here. So ready for cold weather.

      Reply
  2. Katie @katiesfitscript says

    October 12, 2015 at 4:20 pm

    Oh my goodness, butternut squash is seriously my all time favorite thing!!! I need to start adding it to salads!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 4:22 pm

      You will love it Katie!

      Reply
  3. Lisa @ Lisa the Vegetarian says

    October 12, 2015 at 12:35 pm

    I haven't had butternut squash in a while, but I actually bought one recently and have yet to cook it. I think it's about time!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:07 pm

      Definitely! I wouldn't be able to hold out from cooking one as long as you did.

      Reply
  4. Jessie says

    October 12, 2015 at 8:50 am

    I love the sweet touch from craisins! Mmm!!!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:06 pm

      They really are a nice pairing with savory foods.

      Reply
  5. Anna says

    October 12, 2015 at 7:44 am

    This looks delicious! I love combining cranberries and squash. I make something similar and add roasted brussels sprouts and a honey mustard sauce.

    I often cook with bns (shorthand for butternut squash in my house;) but have never been able to cut one. I'm a total baby with a knife.

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:05 pm

      That roasted brussels sprouts sounds delicious!

      Reply
  6. Jill @ Champagne for Everyday says

    October 12, 2015 at 7:07 am

    Yay! You read my mind (and inventoried my kitchen) with this one! I bought some frozen butternut squash cubes yesterday and was trying to think of what to do with them. Probably won't be as good as fresh, but I have all the ingreds for this and will give it a shot tonight!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:06 pm

      You should be fine with frozen as long as you defrost & pat the squash very dry before roasting. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  7. meredith @ The Cookie ChRUNicles says

    October 12, 2015 at 6:06 am

    Yum, I love butternut squash!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:05 pm

      I do too! A little obsessed with it actually.

      Reply
  8. Debbie says

    October 12, 2015 at 5:48 am

    Ooh, the sweetness of the squash would be delicious in a salad! And I agree with you about the prep. I usually buy Trader Joes cut fresh butternut squash. So convenient!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:04 pm

      Yes! I buy TJ's frequently. They have a nice selection of precut produce.

      Reply
  9. Tina muir says

    October 12, 2015 at 5:41 am

    Ahhhh this is my favorite kind of salad! This is the best combo, and I am so glad you reminded me of it! YUMMMM!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:04 pm

      Congrats again on your win! Very excited for you lady.

      Reply
  10. Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says

    October 12, 2015 at 5:25 am

    ooh yum right up my alley! Thanks for sharing this with us today! I love squash

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:03 pm

      Wouldn't it be fun if we could actually taste each other's food sometime?

      Reply
  11. Cara's Healthy Cravings says

    October 12, 2015 at 5:02 am

    This salad sounds so perfect! I love the idea of the cinnamon squash with the orange dressing, what a great flavour combo.

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:03 pm

      Thank you! It's one of my favorite pairings.

      Reply
  12. rachel @ athleticavocado says

    October 12, 2015 at 4:35 am

    if fall was a salad, it would be this! i don't like chopping, peeling and baking a butternut squash too, but the taste it worth it!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:03 pm

      You know I don't think I like chopping, peeling or dicing any vegetable. I wish I had a magic chef who did that for me!

      Reply
  13. melissa says

    October 12, 2015 at 4:30 am

    I love butternut squash and this salad looks like a perfect way to enjoy it. I agree about it is so hard to cut! That's why I typically buy other types of squashes with thinner skin. No need to lose a finger!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:02 pm

      Exactly why I buy precut!

      Reply
  14. Susie @ SuzLyfe says

    October 12, 2015 at 4:24 am

    Who DOESN"T love the flavors of this salad! Reminds me of one of the salads I make at Thanksgiving.

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:01 pm

      Speaking of which, I can't believe the holidays are right around the corner.

      Reply
  15. Michele @ Paleo Running Momma says

    October 12, 2015 at 2:15 am

    I really love bn squash in salad too. Any sort of roasted squash is perfect this time of year 🙂

    Reply
    • Megan says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:00 pm

      I know! I need to try acorn. That's one I have not cooked with.

      Reply

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