Acorn squash, cut into half rings and deeply roasted, is an excellent fall and winter side, but it’s even better made into a salad with a tangy dressing that counters the vegetable’s natural sugars. A basic oil-and-vinegar vinaigrette would work, however the dense, hearty texture of winter squash is better matched with an emulsified dressing that evenly coats the slices.

Using mustard to emulsify a vinaigrette is the standard approach. But when we went this route, mustard brought with it a pungency that obscured the squash’s flavor rather than enhanced it.

We had a light-bulb moment. Our Croatian Creamy Zucchini and Pumpkin Seed Soup gets its dairy-like but dairy-free creaminess from blended pumpkin seeds. For an emulsified vinaigrette to dress the squash, we could do the same.

We blitzed a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds with extra-virgin olive oil and cider vinegar, along with a brightening hit of orange juice and zest. The acids in the juice and vinegar balanced the richness of the oil, while the seeds added just the right amount of nutty flavor.

But the real advantage was the stability brought by the seeds. This dressing won’t separate on the plate. Basic vinaigrettes, made with just oil and vinegar, fall into the category of temporary emulsions due to their inherent instability. Tiny droplets of oil are suspended in watery vinegar, but eventually the oil and vinegar separate. With pumpkin seeds blended in, the emulsion works a little differently. Particles of pumpkin-seed protein surround the beads of oil, preventing them from coalescing. The result is a creamy dressing (or soup, or sauce) with real staying power.

If you’re new to acorn squash, it’s one of the easiest winter squash varieties to prepare because it’s easy to halve with a chef’s knife. The thin skin is edible, so it does not require peeling—a great-tasting side that looks like more effort than it is.

Claire Lower

Claire Lower is the Digital Editor for Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, with over a decade of experience as a food writer and recipe developer. Claire began writing about food (and drinks) during the blogging boom in the late 2000s, eventually leaving her job as a lab technician to pursue writing full-time. After freelancing for publications such as Serious Eats, Yahoo Food, xoJane and Cherry Bombe Magazine, she eventually landed at Lifehacker, where she served as the Senior Food Editor for nearly eight years. Claire lives in Portland, Oregon with a very friendly dog and very mean cat. When not in the kitchen (or at her laptop), you can find her deadlifting at the gym, fly fishing or trying to master figure drawing at her local art studio.