This delicious butternut squash oasis salad is full of delicious warm and hearty North African flavors. You can have it warm during winter months or cold during the hotter months.
Butternut Squash Oasis Salad
A delicious salad, full of North African flavors like lentils, butternut squash and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, lemon and cumin.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 Tbsp of olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- Half tsp ground cumin
- Half tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 Tsp salt
- Pepper to taste
Butternut Squash
- 1/2 butternut squash
- Some olive oil to bake the squash
- 1 Tsp paprika
- Half tsp cinnamon
- Half tsp nutmeg
- 1 Tsp salt
- Pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1/2 cup pickled beetroot or 1 cup roasted beetroot
- 1 or 2 handfuls of arugula
- Topping: almond slices and pomegranate seeds.
Instructions
- Let’s start by preheating the oven to 200ºC or 390ºC degrees Fahrenheit to cook our butternut squash.
- Cut half of one butternut squash in small squares and put them into a baking tray.
- Drizzle with some olive oil.
- Add the paprika, ground nutmeg, ground cumin, cinnamon, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Toss everything to combine and put the butternut squash on the oven to cook for about 30 minutes.
- Rinse the lentils in cold water and then add them to a small pan along with 2 cups of water.
- Let them cook in low to medium heat until they get cooked, but not too soft.
- Now you can prepare a little salad dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic clove, ground cumin, nutmeg and combine everything.
- Combine everything and when the squash and the lentils are ready, add them to a salad bowl, add one or two handfuls of arugula, and half a cup of pickled beetroots (or you can also roast a beetroot along with the pumpkin squash).
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss everything to combine.
- Garnish with some pomegranate seeds and almond slices. Enjoy!
Notes
You can have this salad warm during winter months or cold during the hotter months.
If you don’t want to turn on the oven, you can also boil the butternut squash and add the spices when cooked.
You could also add some chopped dates or some raisins, I think it would also get pretty good.
If you don’t want to turn on the oven, you can also boil the butternut squash and add the spices when cooked.
You could also add some chopped dates or some raisins, I think it would also get pretty good.
Call to action – If you try this recipe take a picture and tag @zest.andthecity on Instagram or use the hashtag #zestandthecity, I would love to see your recreations. Join our community on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube! Love, Ana 💛
