High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Roasted Squash Salad with Pomegranate and Pepitas
Warm, spiced butternut squash meets peppery arugula, jewel-bright pomegranate arils, and crunchy pepitas in a salad that feels genuinely celebratory without requiring much effort. The squash gets tossed with turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger before roasting at high heat, so the edges caramelize into something deeply golden and fragrant. That warmth landing on cool arugula is a textural and flavor contrast that makes every forkful interesting. The dressing is where things really shine — tahini, fresh lemon juice, a touch of pure maple syrup, and grated garlic come together into something creamy and bright, with zero processed sweeteners in sight. Avoiding high fructose corn syrup in store-bought dressings and salad kits can be a quiet frustration, since it hides in the most unexpected places, but every component here is made from scratch with whole, recognizable ingredients. Pure maple syrup does the light sweetening work in the dressing, keeping everything clean and honest. This is the kind of salad that earns a permanent spot in your rotation.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the roasted squash
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lb), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 2–3 tbsp water, to thin
- ¼ tsp salt
For the salad
- 5 oz baby arugula
- ¾ cup pomegranate arils (from about ½ medium pomegranate)
- ⅓ cup dry-roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, toss the squash cubes with 2 tbsp olive oil, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between pieces.
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