Autumn Salad with Butternut Squash

I made this fall salad for a Thanksgiving potluck, wanting to use mostly seasonal ingredients. Any squash would work, but I am partial to the sweetness and color of butternut. I like salads to have a combination of cooked and raw, sweet and salty, soft and crunchy. Judging by the demands for the recipe, I think it was a winner!

Ingredients

• 4 cups butternut squash, 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 0.5 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
• 0.25 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 0.25 cup aged balsamic vinegar
• 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon crushed black pepper
• 1 (6 ounce) package mixed greens
• 2 Fuyu persimmons, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch slices
• 1 (4 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread out on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Roast in the preheated oven until browned on the edges, stirring halfway through, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
4. Meanwhile, prepare pumpkin seeds. Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add pumpkin seeds, salt, paprika, and cumin. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add maple syrup, stir to coat, and remove from heat.
5. Combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a glass jar with a screw-top lid. Tighten lid and shake vigorously to emulsify dressing.
6. Layer mixed greens, persimmons, cooled butternut squash, feta, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds on a large platter. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette over salad and serve remainder alongside.