A festive fall breakfast salad with cinnamon roasted butternut squash, apple slices, avocado, red onion, walnuts, hemp seeds and an egg!
Leafy green vegetables are some of the healthiest foods on Earth and getting a large dose at breakfast is an awesome way to start the day. I know some folks are going to think having salad is a weird concept but it’s really not — especially if you’re on a mission to eat more whole foods and/or less grains at breakfast.
I make egg scrambles with sautéed leafy greens like spinach, swiss chard and kale all the time, but it wasn’t until recently I started experimenting eating a large bowl of raw greens with toppings (a.k.a salad) for breakfast.
The idea for the salad I’m sharing today came about after making this creamy avocado balsamic dressing. It was 8:00AM and I was shooting the photos of the dressing while sipping coffee, before breakfast. I drizzled the dressing over a quick fall salad with roasted butternut squash and red onion, freshly diced apples, avocado slices, toasted walnuts and hemp seeds.
It looked waayyy to good not to taste.
Actually I’ll be honest… I’m the worst at shooting recipes because I always want to taste the food while I’m snapping photos and this morning was no different. I had no intention of eating the salad for breakfast (I was actually planning to save it for lunch) but I tried a bite and couldn’t stop eating. Then I decided it would be fabulous with an egg on top. So I cooked up an egg, sunny side up, and in a matter of 10 minutes I had an epic breakfast salad before me. The warm egg softened the greens a bit and the yolk add a bit of “dressing” — it was delightful and totally instagram-worthy.
I took photos, devoured the salad and officially determined that breakfast salads need to be a thing.
You can mark this delicious fall salad down as the first EBF breakfast salad, but if y’all like the idea I will certainly post more. And you can bet your bottom dollar that if I ever open my dream salad shop there will be at least one breakfast salad on the menu.
Of course, this salad isn’t strictly for breakfast. Feel free to serve it for lunch or dinner (or any time you please).
If you try this fall breakfast salad please be sure to leave a comment and star rating letting me know how it turns out. Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other readers!
Combine butternut squash, oil, cinnamon and sea salt together on a baking sheet and roast in a 450° oven for about 30 minutes or until squash is cooked through. Remove and let cool.
Fill a salad bowl with spring mix and add toppings: roasted squash, apple slices, avocado, red onion, walnuts and hemp seeds.
Portion salad into two bowls and place cooked egg on top of each salad. Drizzle dressing over the salad and enjoy!
Notes
You’ll likely have leftover salad toppings (roasted butternut squash, apple slices, avocado, etc.). Simply save them to make another salad or use in another application.
It is a great idea!! I hope it can be made in advance, and just put it together at the last minute. I’m allergic to squash, so will use sweet potatoes. And maybe a little asparagus.
Yes! You can totally roast the sweet potatoes and chop all the other ingredients ahead of time. If you do that you can toss everything together in a matter of minutes!
I have had a breakfast salad before!! I admit that i loved it, but it did not feel right to eat eggs without hashbrowns… I need my greasy potatoes in there somewhere! Although adding squash would be equally delicious i imagine. Great idea 🙂
[Welcome back to reality. Ahhh, vacation.] Yum! This salad looks delicious and is a great reminder that breakfast salad can be a fantastic way to start the day. I often get in a slump of grabbing a breakfast bar or having heavy cereal when this would be a fast alternative. Also I made your avocado dressing last week and have really enjoyed it! The avocado flavor adds familiar texture and taste but this isn’t something I’ve seen before. The dressing also held up well in the fridge over 5-6 days, which I was not expecting. In short — thanks!
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Amazing idea!! As one who is trying to get more greens in, this is outstanding! Definitely going to give it a try!!
Oh my gosh I can’t wait to try this!!
I love this idea as eggs are on my can’t eat list and I’m always looking for something new to eat for breakfast besides oatmeal, smoothies and yogurt!
Just because I am always rushing out the door I rarely eat salad for breakfast BUT I often top my kale salad with an over easy egg, love it!
Egg on salad = my fav meal!
Oh yum! This looks right up my alley, but for lunch! 😉
It is a great idea!! I hope it can be made in advance, and just put it together at the last minute. I’m allergic to squash, so will use sweet potatoes. And maybe a little asparagus.
Yes! You can totally roast the sweet potatoes and chop all the other ingredients ahead of time. If you do that you can toss everything together in a matter of minutes!
I still think you’re weird. 😉 But I’d totally make this for dinner. And I really, really want to make the dressing!
Oh, I bet you’d love the dressing! 🙂
I have had a breakfast salad before!! I admit that i loved it, but it did not feel right to eat eggs without hashbrowns… I need my greasy potatoes in there somewhere! Although adding squash would be equally delicious i imagine. Great idea 🙂
i never thought about eating salad for breakfast until now! such a great idea and good way to start the day healthfully! 🙂
[Welcome back to reality. Ahhh, vacation.]
Yum! This salad looks delicious and is a great reminder that breakfast salad can be a fantastic way to start the day. I often get in a slump of grabbing a breakfast bar or having heavy cereal when this would be a fast alternative. Also I made your avocado dressing last week and have really enjoyed it! The avocado flavor adds familiar texture and taste but this isn’t something I’ve seen before. The dressing also held up well in the fridge over 5-6 days, which I was not expecting. In short — thanks!