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Butternut Squash & Goats Cheese Salad (V)


Hot summer days call for refreshing salads and this is a light twist on the great combo of goats cheese and butternut squash!

I almost never make or eat salads in winter - I crave comfort, warmth and a full stomach and rarely does a salad fulfill this function during the cold, bleak winters. For now at least, the tyranny of the sun holds firm. And thankfully (for the health of our bodies) the salad season rolls on and on.

And yet, to me, salads rarely constitute a meal in themselves... but there is something about this salad that is somehow light enough to suit the hot summer days we're experiencing and yet fulfilling enough to not simply fill your veg quota, but also your stomach. Creamy tangy goats cheese, silky sweet squash, moreish pine nuts, crisp radish and those quintessential greens - this salad comes together to make an ideal summer lunch.

Serves 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Goats cheese (Capricorn is a great choice - not too 'goaty')

  • Butternut squash - half of 1, diced

  • Pine nuts - a handful

  • Radish - 2 or 3 Sliced finely (with a mandolin if you have one)

  • Half a Cucumber - Sliced finely

  • 1 heritage tomato - Sliced finely

  • Salad leaves. e.g. Rocket, watercress, spinach

  • Olive oil for dressing.

Method:

  1. Cut the butternut squash in half, peel the outer skin off and then chop the squash into small cubes.

  2. Either fry on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, taking care not to turn them. Or bake in the oven for 10ish minutes (until soft).

  3. Meanwhile, slice your radish, cucumber and tomato, and with the salad leaves, either arrange as shown above or bung in the bowl (as I would usually do if not making this blog post).

  4. Lightly toast the pines nuts in a dry frying pan (be careful, these burn very suddenly) and sprinkle into the salad.

  5. Break up the goats cheese into nibble sized pieces (you can slightly warm it if you like - the heat contrast is enjoyable) and add to the salad.

  6. Finally add the softened butternut squash and drizzle with your favourite olive oil and potentially a touch of flaked salt depending on your taste.

Enjoy!

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