This roasted butternut squash and beet salad is a delicious and healthy side dish for fall. Tossed in maple syrup and roasted until fork tender, the colorful beet and butternut squash base is topped with sweet cranberries, crunchy grazed pecans, a sprinkle of feta, and fresh thyme for a pop of flavor and texture.

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Fun fact- salads do not have to contain any leafy greens! I mean, c’mon, we have all seen that dense bean salads are trending on line right now.

In fact, some of my favorite salad recipes are made up of chopped raw vegetables or a blend of roasted vegetables topped with fresh flavors like this roasted butternut squash and beet salad.

Roasted butternut squash is paired with roasted beets then drizzled with maple syrup, fresh herbs, and other flavorful mix ins for a tasty side dish that makes it easy to go back for a second serving of vegetables.

Let’s get to the recipe!

Butternut Squash and Beet Salad

Why you’ll love this butternut squash and beet salad recipe:

This roasted butternut and beet salad recipe is one of my favorite salads to serve during the fall season because it is:

A base of fork tender butternut squash and beets: We know butternut squash trends during the fall and winter seasons but beets are just as popular and delicious. This recipe combines the best of both vegetables and tops them with seasonal flavors for a forkful of flavor!
Nutrient dense: As a dietitian, I cannot recommend beetroot nutrition enough. Beets are full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, are also a vasodilator which can help improve blood flow and manage blood pressure. Beets are a superfood in my book!
Sprinkled with feta cheese: Beets and feta are two of my favorite flavor combinations and the sprinkle of feta cheese over your butternut squash and beets adds a pretty pop of color along with a tangy flavor.
Full of healthy fall flavors: This salad recipe is a perfect side fish for fall because it’s loaded with classic fall flavors like maple syrup, cranberries, and glazed pecans over butternut squash.
Beautiful on a platter: You may not care about this but if you enjoy hosting, then this is a beautiful roasted vegetable salad to serve as a side dish. It’s filled with beautiful colors and topped with fresh toppings for an eye-catching salad that you will love.

How to roast beets:

The key to this recipe is the base of roasted butternut squash and roasted beetroot. How to roast butternut squash is fairly straight forward but there are a few ways to roast beets that I have found give you the best result:

Two ways to make roasted beets:

Make whole roasted beets in foil: Thoroughly scrub your beets with a vegetable scrub brush (they are dirty, so wash them well!), then rub them with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and poke them a few times with a fork.
After they are prepped, wrap them in til foil like you would wrap a bulb of garlic and roast them in the oven at 400 for about 45 minutes or until they are fork tender. This is my favorite way to roast beets if I am going to serve them on their own!
Diced and roasted at a lower temperature: This butternut squash and beetroot salad roasts beets in a different way by washing, peeling, dicing, and then laying them out on a sheetpan as you would roast any other vegetable. Toss them in oil, season, then roast them at a lower temperature of 375 for a longer time.
The key to delicious roasted beets is to make them soft-cooked… not crispy… which may feel against the desire of roasting vegetables. I find that roasted beets are the most delicious when they are simply softened instead of crispy so that’s why we will use a lower cooking temperature.

You can roast your beets either way for this recipe! Depending on the size of your beetroot, they may take longer to soften than the diced butternut squash so if you notice that you butternut squash is fully cooked, simply remove it from the pan and place the pan back in the oven to keep roasting the beets.

Ingredients and Instructions:

Ingredients:

Butternut squash: Choose a smaller butternut squash for this recipe. You can also cut down on time and choose the pre-diced butternut squash from the fresh produce section if preferred!
Beets: Choose 3 large fresh beets for this recipe which you can find in the vegetable section of the grocery store. You’ll want a vegetable scrub brush to clean the outsides.
Oil of choice: I used olive oil but you can use any oil that you prefer.
Seasonings: You’ll need garlic salt, dried thyme, and some black pepper. Feel free to add other seasonings that you enjoy like onion powder, garlic powder, and more.
Candied pecans/walnuts: I love the sweet crunch that candied pecans add to this roasted vegetable salad. You can use any candied nut that you prefer like candied almonds, honey roasted pecans, or candied walnuts.
Sweetened cranberries:. I think sweetened cranberries add a nice sweetness to the butternut squash but you can also add fresh cranberries to your vegetables as they roast if you prefer unsweetened.
Crumbled feta cheese: Add to taste.
Fresh thyme: For garnish and a boost of fresh herb flavor.

Butternut Squash and Beet Salad Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1

Use a long knife to cut your butternut squash in half vertically. Scrape out the seeds then use a vegetable peeler to peel the outside until you have removed the outer skin.

Dice your butternut squash into evenly sized 1 to 2 inch squares.

Step 2

Use a vegetable scrub brush to thoroughly wash your beets. Then, use a vegetable peeler to gently peel off the skin.

Dice your beets into evenly sized 1 to 2 inch squares.

Step 3

Place your diced butternut squash and beets on a large baking sheet, keeping them separate from one another. Add your oil and seasonings then gently stir each section individually until it is well coated.

LTN Tip: Keep them separate to keep the beet color from turning everything red.

Step 4:

Roast at 375 for 40 minutes to an hour or until everything is fork tender. After 20 minutes in the oven, pour on half of your maple syrup to allow it to roast with the vegetables.

Place your roasted butternut squash on a serving platter then place the roasted beets on top. Sprinkle your roasted butternut squash and beets with pecans, feta cheese, and fresh thyme before serving. Serve warm and enjoy!

What to serve with a butternut and beet salad:

This roasted vegetable salad pairs well with a tasty carbohydrate side dish and a protein such as:

Air fryer salmon
Grilled chicken
Baked pork chops
Seared steak
Air fryer potatoes

And more. Tag me on instagram with any fun ideas or pairings that you come up with!

Recipe FAQ:

Can I use pre-diced butternut squash?
1. Yes! You’ll want to buy enough for about 3 to 4 cups of diced butternut squash.
What if my butternut squash is done roasting before my beets?
1. This is normal as sometimes beets take longer to roast. If you notice that your butternut squash is fork tender before your beets are done, simply remove the butternut squash from the baking sheet then return the sheet to the oven to keep roasting the beets.

Other healthy fall recipes you will love:

Looking for other healthy fall recipe ideas? I have a few on my blog that I think you will love:

Healthy butternut squash pasta sauce

Get the recipe

High protein pumpkin overnight oats

Get the recipe

Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Beets

Get the recipe

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Butternut Squash and Beet Salad

Butternut Squash and Beet Salad