Now that we’re full on into autumn I’ve been going through about two butternut squash a week. It’s one of my favourite seasonal veggies and I love how versatile it is. 

When the days get colder and the nights start drawing in, it can be easy to crave stodgy, heavy meals. I created this salad when I was craving something lighter but still satisfying. It’s a really simple salad to throw together, especially if, like me, you almost always have a container of roasted squash sitting in the fridge.

It’s been a little while since I’ve had edamame beans but I’m back to enjoying them every so often as a really convenient source of protein and fibre. Their Asian vibe makes them great added to stir fries when cutting up chicken or beef would be too much of a faff.

To go with those Asian flavours the salad dressing is made with miso paste from Japan mixed with tahini. Miso paste is made from fermented soya beans and you can get various different colours depending on how long it’s aged. I recommend a lighter miso paste for this recipe. Tahini, another favourite of mine, is made from sesame seeds. The dressing may sound like an odd combo but trust me it is so good! The saltiness of the dressing works perfectly with the sweetness of the squash. To make this salad even more in tune with Japanese cuisine try using kabocha squash (also called Japanese pumpkin). Kabocha is one of my favourite foods of all time and unfortunately it can be pretty hard to get hold of (in the UK Waitrose is probably your best bet).  If you can find it, definitely use it in this salad!

Edamame Bean and Squash Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing

2016-10-13 12:57:25

Serves 2

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Ingredients

1. 1 medium butternut squash
2. 1 cup / 100g of edamame beans
3. 1 tablespoon of tahini
4. 1/2 tablespoon of light miso paste
5. 2 tablespoons of water
6. Fresh coriander or parsley to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Peel and de-seed the squash, dice the 'neck' part if using butternut and leaving the lower part as semicircle slices. Place on a roasting tray with a tsp of coconut oil and roast for 30-40 minutes until tender. Set aside.
2. Steam or boil the beans if using them from frozen, set aside.
3. To make the dressing whisk together the tahini, miso paste and water (adding more water if needed).
4. Divide the squash between plates and top with equal amounts of the edamame beans.
5. Chop the herbs and sprinkle on top followed by a drizzle of the dressing. Eat!

Notes

1. Any other kind of sweet squash or pumpkin can be used in place of the butternut (except spaghetti squash).
2. I used frozen edamame beans which are available in the frozen section of most supermarkets.

By Laura Agar Wilson

Wholeheartedly Laura https://wholeheartedlylaura.com/

The dressing ingredients will probably make a little extra, so pop what’s left in the fridge for your next meal. It will also go well with chicken or any other veggie salad type dish.

If you’re looking for a light lunch or dinner full of seasonal flavours this is for you!

Have you tried miso before? Have you experimented with edamame beans?