Honey Free Roasted Squash Salad with Pomegranate and Pepitas
This salad is a showstopper — warm, spiced butternut squash tumbled over peppery arugula, finished with jewel-bright pomegranate arils and crunchy pepitas for a combination that looks as impressive as it tastes. The squash gets roasted at high heat with turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger until the edges caramelize into something deeply golden and fragrant, which does a lot of the flavor heavy lifting before anything else hits the bowl. Many dressings that feel this rich and complex rely on honey as a sweetener, but here pure maple syrup steps in seamlessly, keeping the tahini-lemon dressing completely free of bee-derived ingredients without sacrificing that subtle sweet balance. The dressing itself is silky and bright — tahini and fresh lemon juice whisked together with olive oil and garlic until it pours in a smooth, glossy stream over everything. Pomegranate arils add little bursts of tartness that play beautifully against the warm spices, while the pepitas bring a satisfying, nutty crunch to every forkful. It works equally well as a stunning side dish or a light main, and the fact that it comes together with straightforward pantry staples makes it an easy win for any night of the week.
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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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