Fall Kale Salad with Butternut Squash
Cooler weather does not mean going without fresh salads, and my fall kale salad with butternut squash is perfect for autumn weather. I pack it with roasted squash, crisp apples, dried cranberries, and crunchy pecans over a bed of tender kale and spinach. The maple Dijon dressing brings all those fall flavors together to create a hearty side dish that is ready in 50 minutes.
Servings: 6
Calories: 181kcal
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Honeycrisp Apples thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries sugar free
- 1/4 cup pecans
Maple Dijon Dressing
- 3 tbsp vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Chop butternut squash into one inch pieces.
- Evenly spread the squash on a sheet pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping once.
- Wash, de-stem, and finely chop 1 bunch of kale while butternut squash is roasting.
- Whisk together vegetable broth, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, thyme, and pepper.
- Pour dressing over the kale. Massage the kale by squeezing and rubbing the kale for 2-5 minutes or until the kale darkens and softens. Add spinach and toss.
- Thinly slice apples.
- Place greens on the bottom of a serving tray or salad bowl. Top with roasted butternut squash, cranberries, apple slices, and walnuts. Serve immediately.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this fall kale salad with butternut squash recipe is to massage the dressing directly into the kale before adding the spinach. Kale leaves are naturally sturdier than spinach, so spending a few minutes squeezing and rubbing the dressed leaves softens their texture and makes the salad more palatable.
- Cut evenly: I cut the squash into similar-sized pieces so they roast at a similar rate.
- Soften squash: If I am cutting a whole butternut squash, I pierce it several times with a fork and microwave it for about 2 minutes first. This slightly softens the skin and makes peeling and cutting easier.
- Flip the butternut: Halfway through roasting, I flip the butternut pieces so that they cook on both sides.
- Dress at serving: I prefer to dress the salad shortly before serving so the fruit and greens maintain their best texture.
- Protect the apples: If I know this salad is going to be sitting a while before serving, I brush the apple slices with a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.
Nutrition
Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 288mg | Potassium: 813mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 19687IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 2mg