Cozy & Colorful: Easy Butternut Squash Couscous Salad with Cranberries
A warm and comforting salad featuring roasted butternut squash, fluffy couscous, tart cranberries, creamy goat cheese, and a zesty orange dressing. Perfect for busy weeknights or holiday gatherings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
Scale
For Roasting
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2.5 to 3 pounds, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 small yellow onion (thinly sliced)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Salad
- 1.5 cups uncooked couscous
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (drained)
- 4 ounces soft goat cheese (crumbled (about 1 cup))
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider or white wine vinegar
- 1 small orange (finely grated zest of)
- 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander
- 0 salt (a tiny pinch for the dressing)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss butternut squash and yellow onion with 3 tablespoons olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until squash is tender and caramelized.
- While veggies roast, combine couscous and 3 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, orange zest, and coriander. Add a pinch of salt.
- In a large bowl, combine couscous, roasted squash and onion, dried cranberries, and garbanzo beans.
- Pour the dressing over the couscous mixture and toss gently to combine.
- Gently stir in crumbled goat cheese just before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
Notes
This salad is delicious served warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Flavors meld further as it sits. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.