Succulent Sausage Squash Salad

Directions

Ingredients :

1 small butternut squash – peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

4 ounces ground breakfast sausage

2 large apples, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

¼ teaspoon ground sage

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup maple syrup

Methods :

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

Place butternut squash into a large bowl; toss with olive oil and salt until thoroughly coated. Spread squash in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.

Step 3

Roast in preheated oven until tender, about 30 minutes.

Step 4

Cook sausage over high heat in a skillet until well-browned, about 7 minutes. Crumble cooked sausage into large serving bowl.

Step 5

Cook apple, thyme, sage, and nutmeg over high heat in the hot skillet with the sausage grease. Stir to thoroughly brown all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to bowl with crumbled sausage.

Step 6

Combine balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Place over high heat. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until it begins to thicken and smells strongly acidic, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 7

Combine roasted squash with the apple and sausage. Mix thoroughly.

Step 8

To serve, spoon salad into individual dishes and drizzle with balsamic maple reduction. Serve with a glass of ice cold milk.