Butternut Squash Caprese Salad! A simple appetizer for autumn gatherings, roasted butternut squash salad is a fall version of the summer favorite, Caprese Salad, with tender butternut squash slices nestled between pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese and topped with earthy sage & drizzled with balsamic glaze.

Butternut Squash Caprese Salad

Name: Butternut Squash Caprese Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 medium butternut squash (peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds); 2 tablespoons melted butter; 1 pinch ground cinnamon; 1 pinch salt; 2 cups arugula; 1 pound pre-sliced fresh mozzarella cheese log*; 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze; Fresh sage leaves

It's officially fall! Cue the boots, scarves and cozy sweaters! {If you don't live in south Florida, that is.} One thing that fall signals no matter the weather where you live is the start of a ramped up entertaining season. Trader Joe's does a great job of stocking up their shelves with all kinds of goodies that make fall entertaining easy, starting with ALLL the pumpkin things.

Whether you're entertaining for the holidays, hosting informal gatherings to enjoy the crisp autumn air or simply getting in the spirit of the season by having friends over for dinner, it's nice to have a few easy and beautiful recipes using seasonal produce that you can whip up at the drop of a hat. I love all the types of gourds that TJ's sets out front and center this time of year -- acorn squash, spaghetti squash, delicata squash and of course, butternut squash.

This Butternut Squash Caprese Salad is a perfect way to serve up one of the season's most selected squash. {Say that three times fast!} It's got all the cozy flavors of fall mixed with fresh elements like greens and creamy mozzarella cheese. It's both simple and elegant, making it an ideal edition to both formal and laid back menus.

Ingredients for Butternut Squash Caprese Salad

I got so excited about shooting this recipe over the weekend that I accidentally forgot to snap a photo of the TJ's ingredient lineup before I used most of them up -- oops! I promise, they're easy to find {not just at TJ's, but at pretty much any grocery store in the fall}, so just keep an eye out for these things on your next TJ's trip:

Butter {or olive oil, if you prefer}
Butternut Squash
Arugula {or your favorite greens}
Cinnamon
Fresh mozzarella cheese {I bought the kind that they sell in a pre-sliced log}
Fresh sage
Balsamic glaze - It's the one in this post, I couldn't find a picture of it on their site.

How to Cut Peel & Cut Butternut Squash

Ok, I'm going to confess something. Seeing the words "Butternut Squash" in a recipe used to make me run in the opposite direction as quickly as possible because of the fear-factor of losing a finger to the peeling and cutting process. As delicious as they are, those suckers are TOUGH. If you feel the same way, I'm happy to tell you that I've since then sacrificed my digits to find products and practices that make slicing and dicing a butternut squash SO much easier {and safer}.

First of all, you'll want to choose a medium-sized butternut squash with the right shape for this particular recipe. I looked for a squash with a long neck with about the same circumference as the slices of the mozzarella cheese log so that they'd look pretty stacked up against each other. If you can't find one that works, don't stress -- it'll taste good either way.

Next, gather the correct kitchen tools to make the task easier. My recommendations:

A non-slip cutting board
A good, large vegetable peeler {this one from OXO is specifically designed for things like butternut squash and eggplant and it is mildly life changing}
A sharp knife
A kitchen towel to keep your hands clean and slip-free
A spoon, to scoop out the guts

Once you have all the proper supplies, let the squash tell you the most stable point to start. {No, I haven't lost it, hear me out.} Roll the squash on the cutting surface and see where it lands and rolls the least. If it's perfectly rounded and keeps rolling, you can slice a thin piece from one side to flatten out one area and keep it from sliding around while you peel and cut.

When you feel like you have a good grip, go ahead and use the peeler to cut away the outer skin. I usually go over it once more to remove any of the greenish "veins" that are just under the skin and get a nice clean peel. Once it's peeled, use a sharp knife to cut ¼ inch{ish} slices starting at the thinner neck area. Get as many slices as you can until you reach the fatter part of the squash. This is where the seeds live and where the spoon will come in handy. Once you've sliced into the squash and exposed the hollow part, use the spoon to scoop and scrape out the stringy insides and seeds {just like you would with a pumpkin when you're carving a jack-o-lantern} and discard. Continue to slice until you've reached the end.

And there you have it! You've sliced a butternut squash and kept ALL 10 fingers intact!

How to Roast Butternut Squash

Now that you've got your slices ready to go, it's time to roast them. Line a large baking pan {these are my favorite} with foil and place the slices of squash on top. Pour the melted butter or oil on top of the pieces and rub them all over to make sure they're completely coated. Next, you'll want to season your squash -- normally a little salt and pepper will do, but for this recipe, I also added just a hint of ground cinnamon to drive home those fall flavors.

With the oven set to a nice toasty 400 degrees, let the butternut squash roast for about 8-10 minutes on each side, flipping them about half way through roasting to ensure they they get golden on both sides. If you use butter as I did, you'll also notice that you'll start to get that nutty "brown butter" smell happening, which is not at all a bad thing. Roast until a fork can be easily inserted into the pieces -- that's what they call "fork tender."

Once the pieces are all roasted, let them cool until they're warm or room temperature, so that you don't melt the mozzarella slices when you assemble your salad.

Easy Fall Appetizer

Assembly for this salad is easy: Choose a pretty platter and make a bed of arugula or greens on which you'll place the other ingredients. Then carefully alternate slices of roasted butternut squash and mozzarella cheese, laying on top of one another. Top with fresh sage leaves and finish the whole thing off with a drizzled of TJ's balsamic glaze. Stand back and look at your autumn masterpiece! Your guests are going to love it and so are you.

Alternative Ways to Make Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Believe it or not, there's a way to make this salad even easier to prepare: Buy pre-chopped fresh butternut squash instead of taking the extra 10 minutes to slice one up on your own. No, it won't be as pretty with the slices, but it will still taste amazing!

Also, don't be afraid to experiment with the toppings and add-ins. I think some roasted fig pieces could be fantastic here to add a sweet element. Maybe top with some chopped or candied pecans, walnuts or pepitas for added crunch and flavor. Lightly fry the sage leaves in a bit of butter or oil on in a small skillet for a crispy alternative to the fresh sage. Try out another type of drizzle or glaze, like the Pumpkin Spice Vinaigrette I use in this salad. You're only limited by your own imagination, so go wild!