Fall Pasta Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
Fall Pasta Salad has roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and feta tossed with bowtie pasta in a maple Dijon vinaigrette.
Who said pasta salad is only for summer? It’s good year-round, and this one just happens to have fall flavors. It’s a hit at fall dinners like Thanksgiving.
Butternut squash is easy to find at the grocery store right now, and I’ve roasted it before and love how sweet it gets. I had to stop myself from picking at the baking tray while I finished the rest of the salad. Veldon and Olivia both ate multiple bowls.
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
- Farfalle: The bow tie shape catches the dressing in its folds.
- Butternut squash: Cut into even ½-inch cubes, so they roast evenly.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- Dried cranberries: I found them in the grocery store baking aisle.
- Pecans: Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and let them cool.
- Red onion
- Baby spinach
- Feta: It adds a salty, tangy bite against the sweet cranberries and maple.
For the dressing:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Maple syrup
- Dijon mustard: A little helps the oil and vinegar stay blended.
- Salt and black pepper
How to Make Fall Pasta Salad
- Step One: Preheat oven to 400°F. Add the squash cubes to a medium bowl, then add the oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender and lightly caramelized. Cool slightly.
- Step Two: Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until just past al dente. Drain, rinse under cool water, and place in a large bowl.
- Step Three: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Step Four: Add the roasted squash, cranberries, toasted pecans, red onion, spinach, and cheese to the pasta bowl. Add the dressing and toss gently to combine.
- Step Five: Serve immediately at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours to let the flavors mingle.
What I Learned Making This Recipe
- Cook the pasta past the al dente stage. That way it isn’t hard. No one likes a crunchy pasta salad.
- Drain the pasta and rinse it in cold water. This removes the starch and cools it faster.
- Toast the pecans. It makes a big difference in flavor.
- Let the squash cool slightly before adding it. The heat can wilt the spinach. Once everything is mixed with the dressing, the spinach holds up fine.
- The pasta absorbs the dressing as it sits. If you know you’ll have leftovers, make extra dressing and store it in a mason jar. Drizzle it on the next day to refresh the salad.
Variations and Substitutions
It’s a versatile salad, so feel free to mix and match.
- Swap the squash. Roasted sweet potato or acorn squash both work.
- Swap the nuts. Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or candied pecans are all tasty.
- Add protein. Stir in cooked chicken or chickpeas.
- Use a different cheese. Goat cheese works as a substitute for feta.
- Change the pasta shape. Rotini or penne can replace farfalle.
- Try different greens. Baby arugula or chopped kale instead of spinach.
- Use honey. It can replace the maple syrup.
- Switch the vinegar. Red wine or white wine vinegar works instead of apple cider vinegar.
Storage Instructions
- Make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours to let the flavors mingle.
- Leftovers: Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Drizzle on a little extra dressing to refresh it.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this salad.
Fall Salad Recipes
Follow me on Instagram @simplystacieblog, Facebook at Simply Stacie, TikTok @simplystacierecipes or Pinterest at @simplystacie and let me know how you liked this recipe and my other recipes.
Fall Pasta Salad
Fall Pasta Salad with roasted butternut squash, cranberries, pecans, and feta in a maple-Dijon dressing. Ready in 40 minutes. Good year-round.
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 3 cups farfalle uncooked
- 2 cups butternut squash peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecans toasted and roughly chopped
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Add the squash cubes to a medium bowl and add the two tablespoons of oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender and lightly caramelized. Cool slightly.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until just past al dente. Drain, rinse under cool water, and place in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Add the roasted squash, cranberries, toasted pecans, red onion, spinach, and cheese to the pasta bowl. Add the dressing and toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours to let the flavors mingle.
Notes
- Toast the pecans: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours to let the flavors mingle.
- Leftovers: Best eaten the day it’s made, but leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta absorbs the dressing as it sits, so make extra dressing, store it in a mason jar, and drizzle it on the next day.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this salad.
- Swaps: Use roasted sweet potato or acorn squash instead of butternut squash. Use walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or candied pecans instead of pecans. Add cooked chicken or chickpeas for extra protein.
Nutrition
Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 415mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 4468IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see it! Make sure to share it on your favorite social platform.
Want Even More Recipes?
Join Moms Best Recipes to find more delicious family recipes.
free ebook!
The Best of Simply Stacie
When you subscribe to the newsletter for the latest updates!
