Dandelion Salad with Avocado Ceasar Dressing

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This Dandelion Salad has crunchy dandelion greens tossed in a creamy avocado caesar dressing and topped with perfectly seasoned butternut squash. If you like going on food adventures, you are in for a treat.

It costs about $9.15 to make this Dandelion Salad. The recipe serves four and costs around $2.29 per serving. 

This salad pairs well with these GInger Chicken Skewers, Baked Chicken and Zucchini, and Baked Harissa Chicken Wings.

I have always wanted to try dandelion greens. However, finding them at a grocery store can sometimes be a hit or miss. They are generally hard to find.

I visited Whole Foods over the weekend, and behold, there they were. I grasped a bundle and placed it into my shopping cart!

Every time I see dandelion greens at the grocery store, I throw them in my shopping cart. I love making a salad with Dandelion greens because they are so rich in vitamins and minerals.

This Dandelion Salad recipe is simple to make and pairs well with most entrees. Or make it as a light lunch during the day.

Instructions

1. First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. Next, using a large mixing bowl, toss together the squash, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cumin, and salt. 
3. Spread the squash onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. After they are done baking, remove them from the baking sheet and set aside. 
4. Next, wash and dry the seeds and place them on the baking sheet. Sprinkle on the spice and oil and ensure all seeds are coated. 
5. Place them in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes.
6. Then, add the anchovies, green onions, olive oil, avocado, lime juice, basil, garlic, pure maple syrup, water, salt, and pepper into a blender. Blend until the dressing is thick and creamy. 
7. Finally, add ¼ – ½ cup of the dressing to the greens and toss with tongs. Top the dandelions with roasted butternut squash croutons, diced cucumbers, and toasted seeds before serving. 

***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.

Recipe Variations

• If you do not have basil, you can substitute dill, fresh mint, or cilantro instead.
• Use 2 Tablespoons of Worchestire sauce in place of anchovies.
• Acorn Squash will work as a substitute of Butternut Squash.

Recipe FAQ’s

For that special touch, I roasted the seeds from the butternut squash. They are perfectly seasoned and crunchy. More information on the recipe card.

More Salads

Dandelion Salad with Avocado Caesar Dressing

Recipe Cost 9.15

Serving Cost 2.29

Course Salads

Prep Time 45 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Servings 4 people

Recipe Cost $ 9.15

Serving Cost $ 2.29

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

This Dandelion Salad has crunchy dandelion greens tossed in a creamy avocado caesar dressing and topped with perfectly seasoned butternut squash. If you like going on food adventures, you are in for a treat.

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 2 bunches of dandelion greens stems removed, and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
• ▢ ½ cup diced cucumber about ½ of one English or 3 Persian

FOR THE AVOCADO CAESAR DRESSING:

• ▢ 2 anchovy fillets packed in oil
• ▢ 2 green onions
• ▢ 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 ripe avocado pit, and shell removed
• ▢ 2 limes
• ▢ 6-8 basil leaves
• ▢ 1 clove of garlic
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt or salt to taste
• ▢ pepper to taste

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CROUTONS:

• ▢ 3 cups butternut squash cut into a medium-seize dice (about 1 small butternut squash)
• ▢ 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil can substitute for avocado oil
• ▢ ½ tsp garlic powder
• ▢ ½ tsp onion powder
• ▢ ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ ½ tsp dried oregano
• ▢ ½ tsp cumin
• ▢ ½ tsp kosher salt not iodized

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SEEDS

• ▢ a pinch of smoked paprika
• ▢ a pinch of salt and pepper
• ▢ a pinch of garlic powder

Instructions

PREP AND ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SEEDS:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F
• In a large mixing bowl, add the cubed squash, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cumin, and salt. Toss and mix until each cube is coated with the seasoning. 
• When ready transfer to a nonstick sheet pan (use parchment paper is necessary) and bake for 20-25 minutes until fork-tender. After the squash is fork-tender, remove them from the pan, set them aside to toast the seeds. 
• Roast the butternut squash seeds.
• Wash and dry the seeds well. Transfer to the same baking sheet the squash was on. Sprinkle in the spice and oil. Toss and mix to fully coat each seed.
• Place them into the same preheated oven set at 375°F and bake for 7-10 minutes (just enough to give them some crunch). Meanwhile, we will make the ceasar avocado dressing. 

MAKE AVOCADO CAESAR DRESSING:

• Add the anchovies, green onions, olive oil, avocado, juice of the limes, basil leaves, garlic, pure maple syrup, water, salt, and pepper into a high-speed blender and blend until a thick and creamy dressing forms.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

• Add about 1/4 -1/2 cup of dressing to the greens (depending on how saucey you like your salads) and turn and toss with tongs until every leaf is fully covered with the dressing.
• Top the dandelions with roasted butternut squash croutons, freshly diced cucumbers, and toasted seeds. 
• Serve and enjoy right away. 

Notes

Don’t have basil? Dill, fresh mint, or cilantro would all work well. 

What if I can’t find anchovies? Use 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce.

Can I use acorn squash instead? Yes.

Equipment

Measuring cups and spoons

Liquid measuring cup

Cutting board

Chef’s knife

Mixing bowl

Baking sheet

tongs

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5CUPCalories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 3gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 451mgPotassium: 732mgFiber: 7gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 11512IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 2mg

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