Winter Salad With Burrata and Balsamic Cherry Vinaigrette
A colorful and crunchy salad full of sweet roasted vegetables, crisp apples, edamame and plump tart cherries is exactly what I crave all winter long. Then, paired with burrata and an over the top dressing this dish is elevated to the next level. Just the type of salad that I would never pass up on a restaurant menu but, for some reason, always forget to make at home.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1¼ pounds butternut squash, cut into one inch cubes
- 8 oz baby carrots, halved lengthwise
- 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 5 oz baby arugula
- ½ cup shelled edamame, defrosted
- 1 large apple of your choice (I used honeycrisp), sliced
- ½ cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 16 oz burrata
Dressing:
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- ½ cup cherry preserves
- ½ cup dried cherries
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup extra light olive oil
Instructions
Salad:
- Heat the oven to 400 °F
- Combine the butternut squash and carrots and on a rimmed sheet pan. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper and mix. Spread the vegetables out in one layer (this is very important as they will steam rather than roast if they are too crowded). Roast for 15 minutes then toss and continue roasting for another 15-20 minutes until tender and slightly brown around the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Combine the arugula, walnuts, edamame, apple slices. Add the roasted vegetables and the burrata. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle on the cherries.
Dressing:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and honey. Allow the mixture to come to a boil over medium heat until it's reduced by half. About 10 minutes. Add the preserves and the cherries and continue cooking for about another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- With a slotted spoon, remove the cherries to a separate dish.
- Whisk in the red wine vinegar and extra light olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the vinaigrette into a jar with a lid which will allow you to shake it up prior to use. The vinaigrette will keep in the fridge for about two weeks which means that you can make it ahead of time if you'd like.