Fall Pasta Salad with Butternut Squash and Feta

This Fall Pasta Salad is packed with roasted butternut squash, crunchy broccoli, chickpeas, dried cranberries, and chunks of feta cheese. It’s perfect for an easy make-ahead lunch or a fun fall potluck dish.

This recipe came about after my husband asked if I could make something for him to bring to his end-of-season work potluck. My mind went completely blank for a second. I wanted to make something that I could serve cold while being hearty enough for the vegetarians to eat in case there weren’t many other veggie options. I came up with this Fall Pasta Salad, which was a big hit!

I just went through the kitchen and found all our fall-like ingredients and added them to a pasta salad with an apple cider vinegar dressing. I was nervous he might think it was crazy, but he ended up loving it, as did all of his coworkers 🙂

Why Your Body Will Love This Recipe

• Digestive Health – The high fiber content in butternut squash helps blood sugar levels, digestive flow, and weight management. Fiber also helps carry out the not-so-good cholesterol in the blood. Chickpeas and broccoli are also excellent sources of fiber.
• Eye Health – Butternut squash contains antioxidants like Vitamins A, C, and E, which promote eye health, from cataract prevention to night blindness to macular degeneration.
• Immune Support – Broccoli contains a good amount of Vitamin A, which helps the body fight infections and keeps the immune system healthy. It also contains many antioxidants that further support the immune system.

What You’ll Need For This Fall Pasta Salad Recipe

• Pasta – For this pasta salad, you can use any shape of pasta you like. I used rigatoni because it’s fun and easy to eat.
• Butternut squash – I roasted my butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper until it was nice and browned. It adds such a nice flavor and heartiness to this fall pasta salad.
• Broccoli – I chose to keep it raw because it has such a nice crunch and gives the pasta salad a fresh bite.
• Feta cheese – The feta is optional; you can leave it out if you’re making this recipe vegan. I got a big block of feta and cut it into chunks, and it was so good!
• Chickpeas – I love adding chickpeas to pasta salad for some extra protein.
• Dried cranberries – Dried cranberries add a nice sweetness and chewy texture. I love adding them to fall and winter salads.
• Onion and parsley – These both add some freshness and flavor.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette 

You could really add any dressing to this fall pasta salad, but I think the apple cider vinaigrette goes so well with all the other fall-inspired ingredients. I also add some maple syrup, garlic, and Dijon mustard. It’s tart, sweet, a little creamy, and adds so much great flavor!

Plus, ACV is great for the body. The probiotics in Apple Cider Vinegar promote gut health by supporting the healthy bacteria in the GI tract. It also slows the travel speed of food in our digestive tracts, improving metabolic health.

How To Make This Autumn Pasta Salad

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the cubed butternut squash, olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large baking sheet. Bake until fork tender, 35-40 minutes.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Let it cool for a few minutes. Add pasta, butternut squash, and all remaining ingredients to a large bowl. Whisk all salad dressing ingredients together and pour the desired amount of pasta salad. Mix until everything is combined.

As I said, this recipe is great for all your fall potlucks or parties. This fall pasta salad is served cold, travels easily, and makes enough to feed a crowd. It’s vegetarian and can easily be made vegan by leaving out the feta cheese or making your own Vegan Feta. You can also make it gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta.

Have a question about this recipe? Ask me in the comments below, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

Looking For More Pasta Salad Recipes?

Holiday Pesto Pasta Salad

Lemony Parmesan Spring Pasta Salad

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Kale and Feta

Mediterranean Pasta Salad [Meal Prep]

Bruschetta Pasta Salad with Parmesan

Fall Pasta Salad with Butternut Squash and Feta

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5 from 1 review

• Author: She Likes Food
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8-10 1x

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Description

This Fall Pasta Salad is loaded with tons of fall inspired produce and perfect for potlucks and parties!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 16 ounces dry pasta,  your favorite kind
• 2 cups chopped raw broccoli
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 (8 oz) block feta cheese, diced
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Apple Cider Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• Salt and pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.  On a large baking sheet, toss together the cubed butternut squash, olive oil and salt and pepper.  Bake until butternut squash is fork tender, 35-40 minutes.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Let cool for a few minutes.  Add pasta, butternut squash and all remaining ingredients to a large bowl.  Whisk all salad dressing ingredients together and pour desired amount of pasta salad.  Mix until everything is combined.

Notes

Pasta salad is meant to be served cold.  Can be refrigerated up to 4 days.

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Side, Salad, Vegetarian
• Method: Stovetop, Oven
• Cuisine: American