Enjoy the flavors of fall with a fall pasta salad, featuring roasted butternut squash, kale, cranberries, and a maple Dijon dressing. Perfect for potlucks, weekday lunches or as a holiday side dish!
Meet your new fall favorite, a fall pasta salad filled with some of the best flavors of the season. Pasta salads get a lot of love during the summer, but who said pasta salads are just for summertime? I love a good pasta salad any time of year; they’re delicious, easy to make and always a crowd pleaser.
This fall harvest pasta salad features roasted butternut squash, kale, cranberries and a maple Dijon dressing for an autumnal twist on an old favorite. Filled with the flavors of fall it will fast become a staple in your meal rotation this season. Bring it along to a potluck, serve it as a holiday side or pack leftovers for lunch the next day.
Butternut Squash Pasta Salad
Roasted butternut squash, ribbons of kale, tart cranberries, toasted pumpkin seeds and a maple Dijon dressing are what makes this a pasta salad a fall pasta salad. Similar to a harvest salad, it features many of the flavors we love about the season but with a bit of pasta thrown in the mix. It’s easy, hearty and a festive addition to any meal. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Butternut Squash – You can cut your own or buy pre-cubed butternut squash.
- Olive Oil – Use your favorite extra-virgin olive oil.
- Thyme – You’ll need a few sprigs of fresh thyme for the roasted butternut squash.
- Pasta – I’m using shell pasta because it’s great at holding onto the dressing but anything with ridges will work. I like to use a chickpea or lentil pasta to increase the protein and fiber content, but feel free to use your favorite pasta.
- Kale – Lacinato (also known as Tuscan kale) is best for this pasta salad. Make sure to slice it into thin ribbons.
- Dried Fruit – I’m using dried cranberries but you can also use dried cherries.
- Cheese – I like the salty flavor of feta for this pasta salad. Use a slab of sheep’s milk feta packed in brine and cube it yourself rather than buying crumbles for the best flavor. If you’d like to keep the pasta salad vegan, feel free to substitute a vegan feta instead.
- Seeds or Nuts – I’m using pumpkin seeds but toasted pecans would work nicely as well.
- Dressing – You’ll need apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard and maple syrup to make the dressing.
How to Make a Pasta Salad For Fall:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Start by whisking together the dressing and set it aside.
- Now toss the cubed butternut squash with the olive oil, thyme and a pinch of salt and roast it until browned and tender.
- Meanwhile make the pasta according to the package directions. Resist the urge to cook the pasta “al dente” This is one time when we want out pasta well cooked. As the pasta cools it will harden and can become too stiff if not fully cooked.
- Once the pasta is done drain it well, run it under cold water to cool it off then spread it onto a sheet pan lined with a clean kitchen towel to remove any excess water before adding it to the dressing. Removing the excess water helps the dressing cling to the pasta better.
- Place a few spoonfuls of the dressing into a large bowl along with the kale and gently massage the kale with clean hands to soften it.
- Now add the cooled pasta, roasted butternut squash, and dried cranberries to the bowl with the kale and drizzle over remaining dressing. Toss everything together, top with the feta and pumpkin seeds and you are ready to serve!
Variations:
- Use a variety of roasted squash or substitute roasted sweet potatoes.
- Use the pasta of your choice.
- Use spinach instead of kale.
- Use dried cherries instead of cranberries.
- Use vegan feta if needed.
- Use toasted pecans instead of pumpkin seeds.
More Fall Salads:
Fall Pasta Salad
Enjoy the flavors of fall with a fall pasta salad, featuring roasted butternut squash, kale, cranberries, and a maple Dijon dressing. Perfect for potlucks, weekday lunches or as a holiday side dish!
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons/45ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml Dijon mustard
- ½ Tablespoon/7ml maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon finely minced shallot
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛th teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Pasta Salad:
- 1 small to medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4-5 branches of fresh thyme, stems removed
- 8 ounces/227g chickpea or lentil shell pasta
- One bunch of lacinato (aka Tusan) kale, finely sliced
- ⅓ cup/40g dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup/37g pumpkin seeds
- 4 ounces/113g sheep milk feta, cubed (or use vegan feta)
Instructions
- Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, mustard, maple syrup, shallot, salt and pepper until smooth, set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Toss cubed butternut squash, olive oil, salt and thyme together on the baking sheet until well coated. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package, stirring often, until just tender. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, and drain again on a sheet pan lined with a clean kitchen towel.
- Place the kale into a large bowl and add a spoonful of dressing. Using clean hands massage the kale until tender. Add the cooled roasted butternut squash, drained pasta, dried cranberries and remaining dressing and toss to combine.
- Top pasta with pumpkin seeds and feta cubes and serve at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Variations:
Use a variety of roasted squash or substitute roasted sweet potatoes.
Use the pasta of your choice.
Use spinach instead of kale.
Use dried cherries instead of cranberries.
Use vegan feta if needed.
Use toasted pecans instead of pumpkin seeds.
Make-Ahead:
Dressing, roasted butternut squash and pasta can all be made-ahead of time and stored in the fridge until needed. Dress and toss together salad before serving.
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan Option (use vegan feta), Egg-Free, Nut-Free.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 422Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 305mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 9gSugar: 10gProtein: 10g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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