Acorn Squash Spinach Salad is the perfect salad for fall!
I’m a bit of a spice hoarder. It can’t be stopped. I think I have more bottles of cumin, chipotle and sumac than I know what to do with. But could you even imagine what would happen if I ran out one day? Things wouldn’t end well.
I think spices are one of the keys to making memorable meals! They can spice things up in an instant, or give things an herby finish. We use them obsessively in my house!
When the folks over at McCormick® & Co asked me to create a recipe using 4 ingredients, acorn squash, honey, McCormick® Chipotle Chile Pepper and pecans for their Go4Gourmet challenge, I was like done and done! Let’s get into this.
It all started with the acorn squash. I dragged myself out of bed last weekend and was one of the first people at the farmers market. I grabbed 3 yellow acorn squash, because they didn’t have the green ones, and went home to get busy! Acorn squash is just SO FREAKING PRETTY. I mean look at those beauties….
I dusted the squash with some olive oil, Chipotle Chile Pepper, kosher salt and pepper and roasted it off in the oven until it was tender. Meanwhile, I used the honey to whip up a honey balsamic dressing, chopped some pecans, threw a bunch of spinach in a big bowl and brought out my all time favorite blue cheese to finish things off. The blue cheese was the perfect thing to counteract the heat from the Chipotle Chile Pepper. I didn’t want to mask it, but I did want to provide a little somethin’ somethin’ to sooth your mouth after that fab smoky Chipotle Chile hits your taste buds.
We tossed it all together right before dinner and the rest is history! This is the perfect salad for these fall months. Plus, added bonus, if you living somewhere cold (besides LA of course because it never gets below 60 degrees) the Chipotle Chile Pepper will warm you right up! Kind of like chicken soup, but with more pizzazz!
Acorn Squash Spinach Salad
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squashes
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Chipotle Chile Pepper
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Cut the unpeeled in half from top to bottom. Turn the squash on its flat side and cut 1/2-inch slices and place them on a baking sheet. Using a spoon, remove any of the seeds from the cut squash.
- Drizzle the sections with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and dust with the Chipotle Chile Pepper. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to the oven and roast the squash for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, check to see if the squash of tender, if not, roast for another 5-10 minutes until tender and then remove.
- In a large salad bowl, toss together the spinach, blue cheese, pecans and roasted squash.
- Whisk together the remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey. Season the dressing with salt and pepper and then drizzle over the salad. Toss to combine and serve immediately.
I have lots of spices in my kitchen too, a legacy of making lots of Indian food! Could i use hot smoked paprika instead of the chipotle chilli powder?
you could absolutely use smoked paprika! That would be equally as delish!
It was yummy! Great with mixed salad leaves.
What a gorgeous, fall salad! I’m all over this!
Thanks Liz!!
High five fellow spice hoarder! Thanks for reminding me that i need to stock up on my Chipotle Chili Pepper too. It’s one of my fave flavor-secret weapons, and I love the idea of pairing it with acorn squash. Done!
Double high five fellow spice hoarder!! it’s the best way to be!
Another amazing recipe – I’d love to try this salad!!
LOVE these pictures! And I’m a big acorn squash lover, can’t wait to try this out… healthy, yummy and pretty! Great post.
Thanks Ali!! Love hearing that everyone is an acorn squash lover!
Great fall salad!
Loving this salad Gaby! Perfect for Fall!! xoxo
Thanks Jenny!
Love this salad! Healthy and perfect for Fall..ya know, before the big eating season comes around! haha
you know it!!
Yeeeesss. I am so on board with fall salads. Looks great, Gaby!
Thank youuuuuuuu! Fall salads are the best (well second best, after summer!)
this is totally beautiful Gaby. I may make this for lunch today….
Thanks Heather 🙂
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SALAD!!! I love how you put blue cheese in there—my fave!
you and me both lady!! Thank you!
I love Chipotle Chili with squash, fab salad!
Thank you Laura!
This is perfect for Fall!
Thanks girl!
I LOVE acorn squash, and with the dreadful weather we are having, it sounds like I need to get myself some of the chipotle chili spice!
you’ll love it!
What a delicious-looking salad, Gaby! Love that you made it a little spicy! 🙂
gotta keep it spice to warm me up in the COLD months 🙂
Yummy salad, Gaby! We love acorn squash salads, especially made a little spicy 🙂
thanks!!
Acorn squash just screams fall time! This is so perfect and cozy. I just bought a squash, guess I know how I’llbe using it!
woot woot!
Such a great looking fall salad!
Thanks lady!
Love the idea of the spicy chipotle chili with the sweet squash. This is going on my Fall agenda. Where can I buy that spice? Is it at regular supermarkets?
Yup! McCormick is at most major markets for sure!
Hello, pretty pretty salad!!! I could eat this all day long. For reals!
ditto Ashley!! I’m all about pretty salads!
Pretty salads like this recipe are somehow so much easier to eat…haha. I cant stand plain jane salads.
agreed!! I need something pretty to look at!
Thanks girl! xo
This is totally my style except that I love to make it with delicata squash!
Salad looks fabulous. How many does it serve?
4-6 people!
Looks great! Do you recommend serving the squash still warm? Oven space is at a premium so roasting in advance would help.
it can be served at room temp – no problem!!