Description
Autumn Pasta Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish that captures the essence of fall. Featuring tender farfalle pasta, roasted butternut squash, crisp apples, and a delightful maple-Dijon dressing, this salad serves as a perfect side for gatherings or a light meal. The combination of sweet and savory ingredients, including dried cranberries and feta cheese, creates a satisfying experience for your taste buds. Whether enjoyed fresh or chilled, this pasta salad is sure to impress at any autumn table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces farfalle pasta
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash, peeled
- 1 medium apple, cored and cubed
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for roasting
- 1/4 cup olive oil, for dressing
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender. Let cool.
- Cook farfalle pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, drain, and rinse under cold water. Set aside in a large bowl.
- Prepare remaining ingredients: cube apple, chop pecans, crumble feta, halve olives, and slice green onions.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper for dressing.
- Combine cooled butternut squash, apple, cranberries, pecans, feta, olives, green onions with the pasta in the large bowl.
- Pour dressing over the mixture and toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to enhance flavors.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Side Dish, Salad
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1 cup (150g)
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg