Butter Lettuce Salad Recipe

Prepare squash

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss the small-diced butternut squash with 1 teaspoon of olive oil (or a light spray) and a pinch of salt. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and roast 18–22 minutes, stirring once, until tender and slightly caramelized. Remove and cool.

Mix granola base

In a mixing bowl combine rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds (or walnuts), cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt. Add the roasted butternut squash pieces.

Sweeten and bake

Stir in maple syrup and 1 tablespoon olive oil until evenly coated. Spread mixture back onto the baking sheet (use parchment) and bake 12–15 minutes, stirring once halfway, until golden and crunchy. Watch closely last 5 minutes so nuts don't burn. Remove and let cool completely — it will crisp as it cools.

Char carrots

Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle 1 teaspoon oil on the halved carrots and place cut-side down. Cook without moving 4–6 minutes until deeply golden and slightly charred. Turn to char other sides briefly (2–3 minutes). Remove from pan and cool slightly.

Blend dressing

Place the charred carrots, shallot, garlic, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey (or maple), smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth while streaming in the 4 tablespoons olive oil to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more vinegar or lemon for brightness, or a touch more oil if too sharp. If the dressing is too thick, thin with 1–2 tablespoons water.

Strain (optional)

If you prefer a silky vinaigrette, pass the blended dressing through a fine mesh sieve, pressing through solids with the back of a spoon. Otherwise use as-is for more texture.

Soften and mix

Put the goat cheese into a small bowl. Add the Greek yogurt, lemon zest, chopped thyme and chives, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Mix thoroughly with a fork until creamy and spreadable; add a teaspoon of olive oil if needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt/pepper or herbs.

Form if desired

You can leave the goat cheese loose (for dollops) or form it into quenelles using two spoons or into a small log wrapped in plastic and chilled 15–20 minutes to firm up for neat slices.

Prepare greens

Gently rinse and spin dry the butter lettuce and any optional baby lettuces. Tear larger leaves into bite-size pieces. Place in a large bowl or divide among 4 plates (serving suggestion).

Dress the greens

Add about half of the charred carrot vinaigrette to the greens (reserve the rest to drizzle at the end). Toss gently but thoroughly so leaves are lightly coated. Taste one leaf and add more dressing if desired.

Add goat cheese and granola

Place 1–2 generous spoonfuls (about 1.5 oz each) of the herbed goat cheese on each plate as dollops or slices. Scatter 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled butternut squash granola over each salad to provide crunch.

Finish and serve

Sprinkle toasted sunflower seeds or extra pepitas and optional microgreens over the top. Finish with a light pinch of flaky sea salt and a grind of black pepper. Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette sparingly over the assembled salads and serve immediately with a lemon wedge on the side.