Hello! Kylee here. I’m stopping in today to share a new favorite recipe. This is my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian, which means I can’t make any of usual dishes (Brussel sprouts with bacon, sausage stuffing…sigh. I won’t pretend I’m not a little sad about it!). Luckily turkey is actually my least favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal so I’m not too disappointed about that part. Bring on the side dishes!
I’ve been trying fall and Thanksgiving recipes out the last couple of weeks and this salad was a winner. I’m always attempting to make salads interesting and tasty (you know, so I will actually eat them) and this is just so quintessentially fall and absolutely delicious!
Kale Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash and Maple Vinaigrette
Serves 6
DRESSING:
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
-Mix all ingredients together (I just shake them up in a mason jar).
ROASTED SQUASH:
2 delicata squash, halved lengthwise, de-seeded and cut into ½ inch wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
- Toss the squash in olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread out in a single layer onto a baking sheet.
- Roast at 425 degrees until brown and tender, about 25-30 minutes, turning once halfway through.
- You can toss them into the salad warm or let cool—up to you!
SALAD:
6 cups washed, stemmed, and torn kale (I used both green and red curly kale, but either or both is fine.)
¼ cup pepitas (raw, shelled pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup crumbled chevre (goat cheese)
- I like to massage my kale for a couple minutes with a bit of lemon juice or olive oil before mixing up the salad. This helps soften the leaves and curb the bitterness. I think it tastes a million times better whenever I do this step. But if massaging your greens freaks you out, this is totally optional ;). More info on massaging kale here.
- Toss kale in dressing, squash, cranberries, pepitas, and goat cheese.
- Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving, American friends! What are you making this year?
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This looks amazing! But what do you mean by “massaging” the greens?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Caroline, you can read more about it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/how-to-massage-kale_n_1601200.html. It sounds a little crazy, but it really does help!
This looks like a wonderful fall salad! I’m definitely pinning it to try! Kale stands ups well to warm vegetables. Massaging (rubbing it back and forth between your hands) the kale with lemon juice really helps to break it down and tenderize it, doesn’t it?
Thanks, Cathy! It really does.
This looks fabulous I have just become a vegetarian and looking for recipes,this fits the bill.Thank you
I’m excited to try this! I make your granola all the time. My family loves it!
coming from the north of Scotland I dont know what pepitas are.Salad sounds wonderful Ill certainly give it a try but didnt want to leave this out.
Hi Anne–they are just raw, shelled pumpkin seeds. :)
Have just looked at the photograph of your salad could pepitas be raisins?
Just answered you above. They are raw, shelled pumpkin seeds :)
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was just delicious! I have found Kale to be tough and bitter. I massaged it with oil and it was transformed. So good with the squash. No bitterness.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Great recipe!