This 30-minute filling autumn pasta salad is packed with roasted butternut squash, and tart cranberries, and paired with tangy maple Dijon dressing. It’s perfect for Fall holidays or a simple weeknight dinner.
This Autumn pasta salad is one of my favorite fall salad recipes as it has all of the best seasonal flavors: fragrant pecans, buttery squash, cranberries, and a very light homemade dressing, which, by the way, you can make more and store for later.
A perfect dish for when I’m not exactly sure what I want and can’t decide between filling pasta or healthy light salad – I get both in one bowl. And let me tell you, during fall, this pasta salad goes so well with comforting casseroles and pies!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Healthy and simple, vegetarian-friendly salad packed with vitamins and nutrients our body needs.
- Creamy roasted butternut squash is the star of the dish and a great way of using fresh harvest.
- Quick for weeknight dinner or meal prep.
- Stunning presentation without much effort, the salad ingredients are colorful and fragrant and the dish really celebrates the abundance of the autumn
- Amazing for potluck and picnics, and even better for Thanksgiving dinner!
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Pasta. Any of these can work as rotini pasta, penne, orecchiette pasta, farfalle (bow-tie pasta), or fusilli pasta. It should be small enough shape to eat comfortably and get pasta and other salad ingredients in every bite. To make this pasta salad recipe gluten-free, use chickpea pasta.
- Butternut squash peeled and diced. Fresh or frozen butternut squash – doesn’t really matter. Roasted squash has such a nice fork-tender texture, subtle caramel sweetness, and rich creaminess, that pairs so well with crunchy pasta and the dressing! Plus, it adds to autumn flavors. Butternut squash is rich in fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
- Olive oil to roast the squash and any other veggies you want.
- Dried cranberries are amazing fall flavors, perfectly tart and soft.
- Toasted pecans or candied pecans. They add a fall vibe and a nice texture to the salad.
- Baby spinach is a healthy leafy green that goes perfectly into pasta salads.
- Red onion, thinly sliced.
- Feta cheese, crumbled. If you don’t have feta cheese you can use goat cheese, Cotija cheese, or tofu.
- Salt and black pepper to taste.
Maple Dressing Ingredients
This dressing is one of my favorites: sweet tangy and light at the same time and works great with veggies.
- Olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Maple syrup
- Salt and pepper to taste
I suggest making extra dressing to save it for other salad recipes and to freshen up the salad the next few days you will eat it.
Kitchen Equipment
- Salad bowl for assembling and serving.
- Baking sheet for roasting butternut squash. Lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Pot to cook the pasta.
How To Make Autumn Pasta Salad
1: Toast Pecans
If you have toasted pecans, to begin with or using candied variety, skip this step.
Toasting pecans is really easy and you don’t even need to use oil or oven.
Fill a dry skillet with pecans in one layer and toast at medium-high heat until fragrant.
2: Cook The Pasta Till Al Dente
Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta water, and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
Do not overcook the pasta. It can become soggy while soaking all the dressing, especially if you will store leftovers for a few days.
3: Roast The Butternut Squash
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Toss the diced butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Spread the squash on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 20-25 minutes, until tender and slightly caramelized. Allow to cool.
4: Prepare The Mustard Dressing
While vegetables roast you can make the dressing.
Whisk the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
5: Assemble Autumn Pasta Salad
Combine the cooked pasta, roasted butternut squash, and the remaining ingredients (dried cranberries, toasted pecans, baby spinach, red onion, and feta cheese) in a large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
Enjoy immediately!
This fall pasta salad makes an amazing light lunch or dinner if you serve it warm, and a great side dish for grilled salmon and seafood dishes when served cold.
Storage
You can refrigerate this autumn salad in an airtight container for 2-4 days but it is better to store salad and dressing separately.
Store the dressing in a mason jar in the fridge.
Both the salad and the dressing do not freeze well.
Making Ahead
This salad is great for meal prep but you need to store the salad and the dressing in separate containers to make sure the pasta doesn’t become mushy and soggy, and the baby spinach doesn’t wilt. Add the feta only before serving.
This autumn pasta salad tastes amazing the next day, so you can make it one day ahead and store it in the fridge before serving.
Autumn Pasta Salad Variations & Substitutions
- Bulk the salad up with roasted sweet potatoes, pumpkin, fresh celery, brussels sprouts, broccoli, roasted carrots, and any other fall veggies that are in season that you can roast or add raw.
- Substitutes for butternut squash with similar texture and flavor are pumpkins, sweet potato, and acorn squash.
- Pecan substitutions are walnuts, pine nuts, and salted cashews.
- If you don’t eat pasta, this salad can be transformed into a healthy quinoa or couscous salad,
- Add protein. You can add crispy bacon or use any leftover rotisserie chicken if you’re not vegan or roasted chickpeas for a vegan salad option.
- Fruittier flavor. Fall is rich in tangerines, apples, and pears too. All the flavors can make a great addition to the salad and bring some juicy crunch. If using fruits, add lemon juice to the dressing to keep the fruits from browning.
- Add Italian flavor with some olives, grated Parmesan and Mozzarella, dried oregano, and fresh basil to decorate.
- Add more colors – use colorful pasta! Red pasta has beets or tomatoes, while green color pasta has spinach.
- Use dried cherries, figs, or raisins instead of cranberries.
- For a richer flavor of the salad, you can add some onion powder and garlic powder – easy substitutes for fresh onion and garlic.
- Toppings: pine nuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds add some crunch and texture.
- Poppyseed vinaigrette dressing: in a small bowl mix apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, olive oil, sugar, paprika, onion powder, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper.
- Maple syrup substitutions for sweetness in the dressing are honey, agave, and date syrup.
- Warm brown butter sauce with butter, olive oil, and shallots cooked together, is a very elegant dressing for the fall pasta salad.
- For creamier dressing, you can use vegan (or regular) mayo, tahini, or Greek yogurt-based recipes.
Expert Tips To Make The Best Fall Pasta Salad
- For pasta salad recipes always keep the pasta al dente which is 1-2 minutes short of the cooking time mentioned on the package.
- Add the dressing right before serving to make sure the pasta doesn’t soften too much.
- To peel butternut squash, cut off the top and bottom and position it vertically with the widest part at the bottom. Using a knife or a sturdy vegetable peeler, remove the skin moving from top to bottom. Then cut the squash into 1-inch cubes.
Popular Questions
What Are The Mistakes To Avoid Pasta Salad?
Overcooking the pasta, dressing the salad too early, and using mushy ingredients like ripe avocado are the top mistakes that are easy to avoid when making fall pasta salads.
What Pasta Is Not Recommended For Pasta Salads?
Long, thick, and bulky pasta like spaghetti or pappardelle is not good to use in a pasta salad recipe. Among short pasta types, farfalle is the least favorite shape as it tends to get soggy on the thinner edges faster.
Is It Better To Make Pasta Salad The Day Before Or The Day Of?
If you love warm pasta salad, it is best to prepare it on the day of the event. Cold pasta salad tastes great the same day and even more flavorful the next day.
Does Pasta Have To Be Cold For Pasta Salad?
The pasta had to be cooked al dente for pasta salad and cooled slightly. You can use both warm and cold pasta to make fall pasta salad recipes.
Why My Autumn Pasta Salad Is Dry?
When storing and serving the pasta salad the next day, it may soak most of the dressing and taste drier. To freshen it up, add more dressing or Balsamic Glaze.
DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!
If you love this salad recipe, you’re going to love these other tasty holiday sides too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
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Autumn Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pasta rotini, penne or fusilli
- 2 cups butternut squash peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecans toasted
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Toss the diced butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the squash on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, until tender and slightly caramelized. Allow to cool.
- Whisk the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
- Combine the cooked pasta, roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, baby spinach, red onion, and feta cheese in a large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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