This keto-friendly, roasted delicata squash salad with feta, arugula, pepitas and sliced red onion is one of our favorite fall salads!
Before we embarked on our low-carb journey, our sister-in-law, Betsy, introduced us to delicata squash and we immediately fell in love with it. Now that we're on a low-carb diet, we eat it in smaller amounts since it's a little higher in carbs.
One of the best ways to enjoy delicata squash when you're on a low-carb or keto diet is through a delicious fall salad. That way, you still can enjoy the sweet, yummy flavor of delicata squash — in small portions — through a more substantial salad that is full of complementary low-carb ingredients such as feta, arugula, sliced red onion and pepita seeds.
This delicious fall salad is a perfect for special occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday dinners. Each serving is about 5 net carbs.
Key Ingredients
A few notes on key ingredients:
- Delicata squash: To keep the carbs low, we use 8 ounces of sliced delicata squah. This is roughly the size of a small delicata squash with the ends removed.
- Arugula: Arugula is a slightly bitter green with a peppery taste, which adds a lot of flavor to this salad. If you prefer not to use, you may substitute with baby spinach or mixed greens.
- Feta: We love the feta in this salad since it's salty, creamy and low in carbs. Crumbled goat cheese is a good substitute if you don't like feta.
- Pepitas: Pepitas are a type of pumpkin seed that is high in protein. If you don't have pepitas on hand, you can substitute with toasted almonds or sunflower seeds.
How To Make
This keto delicata squash salad may look fancy, but it sure is simple and easy to make! If you haven't roasted delicata squash before, don't worry, it's quite simple.
STEP 1: First, pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Next, cut off the ends of the squash, then slice it in half, length-wise. Then, scrape out the seeds and and stringy insides. After, cut it into ½-inch wide slices. Weigh out 8 ounces of sliced squash (reserve any remaining squash for future use).
STEP 2: On a rimmed baking sheet, combine 8 ounces of sliced squash with ½ tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread slices across pan in a single layer. Roast for roughly 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. When done, squash should be golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside.
STEP 3: In a small bowl, soak onions in cold water for roughly 10 minutes (to remove bite of onion) and set aside. When done, pat onions dry with paper towel.
STEP 4: In another small bowl, prepare salad dressing by combining 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar. Whisk together well and season with salt and pepper. In a large salad bowl, mix arugula with roughly ¾ of prepared salad dressing. Top salad with crumbled feta, roasted squash, sliced onion, and pepitas. Drizzle remaining salad dressing over the top. Serve immediately.
Recipe FAQ
You may enjoy delicata squash in moderation while on a low-carb or keto diet. A half cup of delicata squash is about 6 or 7 grams of net carbs, which is much lower than a sweet potato. It's a sweeter squash with a slightly nutty flavor.
Pepitas are a type of pumpkin seed that is harvested from hull-less pumpkins like Styrian or Oil Seed pumpkins. They are different from the seeds found in pumpkins that you carve. They have slightly sweet, mild flavor and are high in protein. A quarter cup of pepitas is just one gram of net carbs.
Arugula, also known as rocket, is a slightly bitter green with a peppery flavor or "bite." It's a cousin of broccoli and kale and is full of antioxidants. It's only 2 grams of net carbs for every 100 grams.
More Salad Recipes
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Recipe
Roasted Delicata Squash, Feta and Arugula Salad (Low Carb / Keto)
Ingredients
- 1 small delicata squash scrubbed clean
- 1 ounce red onion thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper to season
- 2 ½ tablespoon California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil or other extra-virgin olive oil (separate into ½ tablespoon for baking and 2 tablespoons for salad dressing)
- ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 4 ounces arugula
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- 3 tablespoons pepitas
Instructions
- Prepare the squash: Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice off ends of squash. Cut squash, lengthwise, in half. With a spoon, scrape out seeds and stringy insides. Cut into ½-inch wide slices. Weigh out 8 ounces of sliced squash (reserve remaining squash for future use). On a rimmed baking sheet, combine 8 ounces of sliced squash with ½ tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread slices across pan in a single layer. Roast for roughly 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. When done, squash should be golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Prepare the ingredients: In a small bowl, soak onions in cold water for roughly 10 minutes (to remove bite of onion) and set aside. When done, pat onions dry with paper towel. In another small bowl, prepare salad dressing by combining 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar. Whisk together well and season with salt and pepper.
- Finish and serve: In a large salad bowl, mix arugula with roughly ¾ of prepared salad dressing. Top salad with crumbled feta, roasted squash, sliced onion, and pepitas. Drizzle remaining salad dressing over the top. Serve immediately.
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