Description
A delightful and vibrant salad featuring maple-glazed roasted Brussels sprouts and butternut squash combined with creamy burrata, savory bacon, crunchy toasted walnuts, and tangy feta, finished with a balsamic glaze and fresh basil—a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and fresh flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed
For Roasting & Glazing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Additional Toppings
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 balls burrata cheese
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Finishing Touches
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for roasting the vegetables.
- Toss vegetables: In a large bowl, combine the trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts and cubed butternut squash. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper until well coated to ensure even roasting.
- Arrange on baking sheet: Spread the coated vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet for uniform cooking.
- Glaze with maple syrup: Drizzle pure maple syrup evenly over the vegetables, then toss gently to distribute the sweetness without disturbing the arrangement too much.
- Roast vegetables: Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through to caramelize and soften the vegetables until tender and golden.
- Toast walnuts: While vegetables roast, toast the roughly chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden and fragrant, then set aside to cool.
- Cool roasted vegetables: Remove the roasted Brussels sprouts and squash from the oven and let them cool slightly to prevent melting the cheese too much.
- Plate the salad: Arrange the roasted vegetables on a large serving platter to create the base of your salad.
- Add burrata: Tear the burrata cheese into pieces and scatter evenly over the warm vegetables to add creamy richness.
- Sprinkle toppings: Distribute the crumbled cooked bacon, toasted walnuts, and crumbled feta cheese over the salad for a mix of textures and flavors.
- Drizzle balsamic glaze: Finish the salad with a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze for sweetness and acidity, then garnish with fresh basil leaves for brightness.
- Serve: Serve the salad warm or at room temperature to enjoy the full spectrum of flavors and textures.
Notes
- You can prepare the bacon and toast the walnuts ahead of time to save preparation time.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon and consider adding roasted chickpeas or smoked nuts for extra flavor.
- Use fresh, high-quality burrata and feta cheese to maximize flavor impact.
- If balsamic glaze is unavailable, reduce balsamic vinegar with a little sugar until syrupy as a homemade alternative.
- To keep the salad gluten-free, ensure the balsamic glaze doesn’t contain any additives with gluten.
