Warm Lentil Salad With Delicata Squash And Cilantro Cashew Cream

This beautiful, colorful combination of flavors and textures is THE salad for Fall, and I highly recommend you try it out. It’s the kind of meal I cook regularly throughout the fall because it’s equal parts nourishing and delicious. It’s packed with protein- and fiber-rich lentils, vitamin-rich delicata squash, and heart healthy cashews. It’s satiating and satisfying and will keep you full for hours. Plus, it stays good in the fridge for several days (just store the cashew cream separately), making it a favorite for meal prep in my house. This salad isn’t just great for meal prep though. It would be a fabulous side dish for your Thanksgiving or holiday table. While salad isn’t exactly an exciting addition to a Thanksgiving menu, the word salad in this recipe is a bit misleading. It’s a warm salad made with peppery French green lentils, caramelized winter squash and onions, fresh herbs, and a savory cashew cream. So, it’s a lettuce-free salad made with hearty and incredibly flavorful ingredients, making it 10x better than most salads. When it comes to making salads delicious and even crave-worthy, the key is adding textural variety. In this warm salad, we have firm lentils, tender roasted delicata squash, a pop of freshness from fresh herbs, a juicy crunch from pomegranate seeds, and a smooth richness from the cashew cream. The unique combination and varied textures makes for an irresistible salad. Yes, salads can be irresistible! Beyond the delicious flavors, this warm lentil salad is an incredibly easy dish to make. While the squash and onions are roasting in the ovens, you can cook the lentils either on the stove or in a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot. My preference is the latter, as it cuts down on cook time and requires zero babysitting. The cilantro cashew cream does require you to soak the cashews in advance, but if you forget to soak them overnight (hey, it happens), you can always do a quick soak of cashews in boiling water for 1 hour. Start off the recipe by soaking the cashews and by the time you prepare the squash, lentils, and salad mix-ins, the cashews will be soft enough to make the cashew cream. Unless you really douse the salad in the cilantro cashew cream, you’ll likely have some leftovers. This is a good thing because it is absolutely delicious. I love using it as a sandwich spread, drizzling it over salads or grain bowls, or tossing it with pasta. The cashew cream leftovers will stay good in an airtight container or glass jar in the fridge for about a week. If you’re looking for a healthy yet satisfying fall dish that’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner or fancy enough to serve for the holidays, try out this Warm Lentil Salad with Delicata Squash and Cilantro Cashew Cream!