Arugula & Burrata Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
This arugula burrata salad with butternut squash is a delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-make side dish to make any meal feel special. Creamy burrata cheese, peppery arugula, and sweet roasted butternut squash make for an unexpected yet mouthwatering flavor combination. Ready to enjoy in about 30 minutes.
I’m a firm believer that rich and creamy burrata cheese will make any dish better. And as a Registered Dietitian, my favorite way to enjoy burrata cheese is in a salad! Some of my favorite burrata salad recipes include my burrata panzanella salad, heirloom tomato and burrata salad, and citrus and beet burrata salad.
This arugula burrata salad with roasted butternut squash is an unexpected pairing, but is incredibly delicious. Arugula is dressed simply with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then topped with roasted butternut squash cubes, pieces of burrata cheese, toasted chopped almonds, and fresh parsley. Add a drizzle extra virgin olive oil and a little salt to serve!
This burrata salad recipe serves 4-6 people as a side dish. It is vegetarian, gluten free, and soy free.
Ingredients in arugula & burrata salad with butternut squash
Here is everything you need to make this salad:
- Burrata cheese
- Arugula
- Butternut squash
- Thyme
- Raw Almonds
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Parsley
- Salt and pepper
Kitchen tools needed
To make this recipe, you need a vegetable peeler, a chef’s knife, a cutting board, parchment paper, and two baking sheets.
How to make arugula & burrata salad
- Remove burrata cheese from the fridge and let come to room temperature as you prepare the salad.
- Peel the butternut squash. Cut in half the long way, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and discard them.
- Cut butternut squash into cubes. Toss squash cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.
- Put butternut squash cubes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes.
- Toast almonds in the oven for about 5 minutes, then let them cool to room temperature. Chop the toasted almonds.
- In a salad bowl or mixing bowl, toss the arugula in extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
- Assemble the salad: spread arugula in a layer onto a serving platter. Top with roasted butternut squash cubes. Break burrata up into pieces with your hands and scatter them on top of the butternut squash. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and parsley.
- Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of cruny sea salt.
Serving suggestions
I love to serve this salad with some good crusty bread. Pair this salad with a high-quality protein for a light yet satisfying meal, such as:
Can I prepare arugula burrata salad in advance?
This salad is best served right when it is prepared. Otherwise, the arugula greens get soggy after a few hours and when stored in the fridge.
If you’d like, you can prepare the individual components in advance. Roast the butternut squash, toast and chop the almonds, and chop the parsley. Then you just need about five minutes to assemble the salad and serve!
Questions about burrata cheese
What is burrata cheese?
Burrata is an semisoft Italian cheese made from cow milk. Burrata is sold in balls that look like fresh mozzarella, with a casing of fresh mozzarella and an inside filled with stracciatella cream. When the ball is broken, the stracciatella cream oozes out, making it easily spreadable.
What does burrata cheese taste like?
Burrata tastes similar to fresh mozzarella, but richer, creamier, and with a bolder flavor. It has a pleasing contrast of textures from the creamy stracciatella insides and the chewier outer layer.
How to serve burrata cheese
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, burrata cheese makes anything better! It pairs beautifully with pretty much any vegetable, no matter what season.
Serve burrata in a salad, on top of roasted vegetables, on pasta, pizza, or grain dishes. You can also serve burrata as an appetizer with crostini – just season it simply with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Butternut squash nutrition & health benefits
Butternut squash is a super nutritious food to include in your diet! One cup of cooked butternut squash provides:
- 6.6 grams of dietary fiber
- 1.8 grams of plant-based protein
- 582 mg potassium (12 percent of your daily needs)
- 1143.90 mcg Vitamin A (127 percent of your daily needs)
- 31.0 mg Vitamin C (34 percent of your daily needs)
- 59.45 mg magnesium (15 percent of your daily needs)
Additionally, butternut squash is a good or excellent source of thiamin, niacin, folate, Vitamin E, and copper. It is high in beta-carotene, an powerful antioxidant that gives squash it’s bright orange color.
Let me know if you love this post by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!
Print
Arugula & Burrata Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: serves 4-6 1x
- Category: salads
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This arugula burrata salad with butternut squash is a delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-make side dish to make any meal feel special. Creamy burrata cheese, peppery arugula, and sweet roasted butternut squash make for an unexpected yet mouthwatering flavor combination. Ready to enjoy in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 ball burrata cheese
- 4 1/2 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/3 cup whole raw almonds – toasted
- 5 cups arugula
- 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Remove burrata cheese from fridge and drain. Set it on the counter in a small bowl so it comes to room temperature as you make the salad.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel butternut squash, remove seeds, and cut into 1/2 – 1 inch cubes.
- Toss butternut squash cubes in 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and fresh thyme.
- Spread the butternut squash cubes onto the prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until fork tender and edges begin to brown.
- Place almonds on another baking sheet (unlined). Toast them in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove them and let cool to about room temperature, then roughly chop the almonds.
- Place arugula in a salad bowl or mixing bowl. Add the remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Toss the arugula to coat in the oil and vinegar.
- Assemble the salad: spread out the arugula in a layer on a serving platter. Add the butternut squash cubes. Use your hands to break the burrata into pieces and place them on the butternut squash. Sprinkle with toasted chopped almonds and chopped parsley.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of crunchy sea salt.
Notes
Can I prepare arugula burrata salad in advance?
This salad is best served right when it is prepared. Otherwise, the arugula greens get soggy after a few hours and when stored in the fridge.
If you’d like, you can prepare the individual components in advance. Roast the butternut squash, toast and chop the almonds, and chop the parsley. Then you just need about five minutes to assemble the salad and serve!
Keywords: arugula burrata salad, burrata salad recipe, what is burrata cheese
