Roasted Vegetable Salad
Fresh, light and flavorful, this roasted vegetable salad recipe is the perfect combination. Loaded with butternut squash, brussel sprouts, orzo, baby broccoli and apples, this recipe is a winner. Enjoy as meal prep item through the week or as a quick and healthy dinner.
About this Roasted Vegetable Salad Recipe
For this easy salad recipe, I used a variety of fall vegetables and fruits. This recipe is perfect for lunch or dinner. Simply add some grilled shrimp, chicken or tofu for a heartier meal. No matter what, you’re going to love this healthy combination.
When combining all the ingredients, be sure the pasta and roasted vegetables are cool. You can enjoy them at room temperature or even chill everything in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Otherwise, hot pasta or hot vegetables will wilt the fresh arugula and it will not taste as good. Also, be sure that the pasta is dry, not wet. If it’s too wet when you add it to the bowl, you run the risk of this salad getting soggy.
When serving this dish, you can dress it by simply adding fresh squeezed lemon, drizzle of olive oil, pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Toss!
Ingredients Used
Butternut Squash – Be sure to pierce the skin of the squash and microwave it for 3-5 minutes. This will help soften the squash and make it easier to peel and cube. Once microwaved, peel the outer skin and cut the squash in half. Use a spoon to remove the seeds. Cut the squash down into even sized pieces, about this size of a nickel. Place the butternut squash on the baking tray.
Arugula – Be sure to wash and dry the arugula before adding it to the salad. You could also use spinach or kale.
Orzo pasta – Be sure to cook the pasta al dente. Make sure it is dry before adding it to the salad.
Brussel Sprouts – Rinse, dry and remove the ends of the brussel sprouts. Cut them in half or quarters and place them on a baking tray.
Baby Broccoli – Rinse, dry and place the baby broccoli on a baking tray. I like eating the stems, but you have the option to trim them as well.
Honeycrisp Apple – Rinse and dry a large honey crisp apple. Core it and dice it into bite sized pieces about the size of a dime.
Lemon – It’s best to toss the apples in fresh squeezed lemon. This will help prevent them from browning.
Parmesan Cheese – For this recipe, I used shaved parmesan cheese. However, blue cheese or feta cheese would also work well.
Salt and pepper – Season everything with salt and pepper to taste.
Dressing – I suggest using my sweet tahini dressing recipe but you can use what you like.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Serve this dish chilled or slightly warmed. Add your favorite protein for a heartier meal. Please see below for nutritional information. This recipe makes four light servings and two heartier servings.
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Roasted Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, drizzle over vegetables before roasting
- 4 ounces orzo, al dente
- 2 cups arugula, fresh, packed in measuring cup
- 1 small butternut squash, washed, pierced, microwaved, and peeled
- 12 ounces brussel sprouts, washed and sliced
- 12 ounces baby broccoli, washed
- 1 large honey crisp apple, or two smaller apples
- 1 lemon, about 1 tablespoon juice
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt, season the vegetables and salad
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper, season the vegetables and salad
Equipment
- baking tray
- peeler
- pasta pot
- colander
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grab a baking tray, spray it with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
- Pierce the skin of the butternut squash and microwave it for 3-5 minutes.
- Once it cools, peel the skin, remove the seeds, and dice it into even sized cubes.
- Place the cubes on the prepared baking tray.
- Wash, dry and slice the ends off the brussel sprouts. Slice them into half or quarters based on size. Place them on the prepared baking tray with the squash.
- Rinse, dry and add the broccoli to the baking tray.
- Drizzle the butternut squash, brussel sprouts and broccoli with olive oil, salt and pepper. Make sure everything has a light coating of oil.
- Roast the vegetables for 35-40 minutes, or until fork tender and lightly browned. Be sure to turn them every 15 minutes to prevent any one side from getting too dark.
- While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the orzo pasta.
- Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta according to the package. Al dente is best.
- Drain the water and set the pasta aside to cool. Option to drizzle it with a very light coating of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Next, you’ll dice the apple into even sides pieces. Be sure to remove the core.
- Once the apple is diced, toss it with fresh squeezed lemon juice to prevent the apples from browning.
Assemble
- In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled orzo pasta, fresh arugula, cooled roasted vegetables, diced apples tossed with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Top with shaved parmesan cheese and my sweet tahini dressing. Serve at room temp or chilled.
2 Comments on “Roasted Vegetable Salad”
I had a butternut squash slowly dying on my counter when I came across this recipe. I was surprised by how great all of the flavors came together. I will definitely be making this one again. Wow!
This is a great salad. The mix of vegetables with the orzo taste wonderful together. We enjoyed it with just a drizzle of good olive oil with some salt and pepper.