This vibrant Roasted Butternut Squash Brown Rice Holiday Salad is full of flavor and texture with fresh pear, chewy dried cranberries, sweet caramelized roasted butternut squash, hearty brown rice and a sweet-tangy apple cider vinaigrette!

This vibrant Roasted Butternut Squash Brown Rice Holiday Salad is full of flavor and texture with fresh pear, chewy dried cranberries, sweet caramelized roasted butternut squash, hearty brown rice and a sweet-tangy apple cider vinaigrette! (vegan & gluten-free)

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Well, friends… Christmas is just over a week away. I know. There’s still so much to be done. At least for me, there is.

One thing that is settled is the menu. It’s all about the food anyway… am I right?!?! And holiday meals are usually a bit over-the-top when it comes to rich, decadent foods. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for that. However, it’s also great to have a little balance. There’s no time for a tummy ache when there are gifts to be unwrapped. So perhaps it might be nice to have a lighter menu option somewhere between the cookies and pie.

This vibrant Roasted Butternut Squash Brown Rice Holiday Salad is full of flavor and texture with fresh pear, chewy dried cranberries, sweet caramelized roasted butternut squash, hearty brown rice and a sweet-tangy apple cider vinaigrette! (vegan & gluten-free)

That’s where this Roasted Butternut Squash Brown Rice Holiday Salad comes in. I just love all of the colors, contrasting textures, sweet and savory flavors… this salad has it all! Aside from the deliciousness, one of the other pluses to this salad recipe is how darn easy it is to throw together. Tune into the video below the recipe instructions and see for yourself!

To really speed things along, I used Success® Whole Grain Brown Rice. It has the same taste and similar nutritional benefits of long cooking brown rice, but in ¼ the cooking time. You can boil it or simply cook it up in the microwave. I love that Success® Rice comes conveniently packaged in premeasured colander-style BPA-free bags. The rice boils right in the bag and is ready in less than 10 minutes. That’s what you call Success is in the bag.®

I keep a box of Success Rice on hand for a variety of recipes from breakfast to dessert. You can find hundreds of recipe ideas, special offers and more by joining the Riceipe Club®.

This vibrant Roasted Butternut Squash Brown Rice Holiday Salad is full of flavor and texture with fresh pear, chewy dried cranberries, sweet caramelized roasted butternut squash, hearty brown rice and a sweet-tangy apple cider vinaigrette! (vegan & gluten-free)

I have a little secret… between the two of us, Brad and I gobbled this whole salad up in one day. It’s just so good, we couldn’t stay out of it! I hope you guys love this dish as much as we did. It’s:

Festive
Hearty
Savory-sweet
Vegetable-packed
Nutrient-rich
& So delicious

This salad is so simple and tasty, perfect for holiday gatherings or even as a wholesome, filling take-along lunch for work or school since it doesn’t need to be refrigerated. In fact, it’s best when served warm or room temperature.

I suspect you’ll love the mix of textures and flavors here, especially the mix of savory and sweet. Enjoy!

This vibrant Roasted Butternut Squash Brown Rice Holiday Salad is full of flavor and texture with fresh pear, chewy dried cranberries, sweet caramelized roasted butternut squash, hearty brown rice and a sweet-tangy apple cider vinaigrette! (vegan & gluten-free)

This vibrant Roasted Butternut Squash Brown Rice Holiday Salad is full of flavor and texture with fresh pear, chewy dried cranberries, sweet caramelized roasted butternut squash, hearty brown rice and a sweet-tangy apple cider vinaigrette! (vegan & gluten-free)
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Roasted Butternut Squash Brown Rice Holiday Salad

Yield: 7 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
This vibrant Roasted Butternut Squash Brown Rice Holiday Salad is full of flavor and texture with fresh pear, chewy dried cranberries, sweet caramelized roasted butternut squash, hearty brown rice and a sweet-tangy apple cider vinaigrette!
Author: Kim

Ingredients

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Salad:

  • 5 cups butternut squash, about 1 medium squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes*
  • 1 large pear, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach, or other favorite green
  • 1 bag Success® Whole Grain Brown Rice, 2 cups, prepared
  • fresh parsley, for garnish, if desired

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle on a dash of salt. Roast for about 30 minutes, and until tender.
  • Meanwhile, prepare all other ingredients. Cook brown Success® Rice according to package instructions and in a large bowl, combine pear, cranberries, onion and spinach.
  • Once squash and rice has cooked, transfer both to large bowl with other ingredients and stir so that spinach wilts slightly from the heat of the squash and rice.
  • Prepare dressing by vigorously whisking all ingredients.
  • Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Salad can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Notes

*I prefer to buy butternut squash pre-cut. This time saver is well worth it, in my opinion.
Author: Kim
Course: Main
Cuisine: American
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 209kcal, Carbohydrates: 34.7g, Protein: 2.5g, Fat: 8.2g, Saturated Fat: 1.1g, Sodium: 77.7mg, Fiber: 4.2g, Sugar: 11.9g

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