Toss the cubes of butternut squash in the tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 20-30 minutes, tossing half way through, until fork tender and lightly browned.
Meanwhile, add the salad dressing ingredients to a small jar. Shake until well combined.
To assemble each salad, divide the spinach among 4 large bowls. Top each with lentils, the roasted butternut squash, and pumpkin seeds. Serve with the dressing and enjoy.
Notes
3 cups of peeled and cubed squash is approximately the yield of a small to medium sized 2 pound fruit.
Nutrition Facts include the entire quantity of salad dressing for the recipe; however, you may not need to use that much.
This recipe serves 4 as a main dish (as reflected in the Nutrition Facts) or 8 or more as a starter salad.
Leftover salad is best stored before adding the dressing. The salad and dressing will each last covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Prefer to skip the oven? Follow the cooking instructions for Air Fryer Butternut Squash, then proceed with assembling the salads.
Variations:
Substitute baby arugula or baby kale in place of the spinach.
Try black beans instead of lentils.
Add cooked and cooled quinoa.
Top with dried cranberries and vegan feta cheese.
Use chopped pecans or walnuts in place of the pepitas.