Fall Kale Salad with Hot Honey Vinaigrette
With autumn’s arrival comes hearty, healthy salads highlighting fall produce. This Fall Kale Salad features butternut squash, pomegranate arils, pears (or apples) and cotija or feta. Topped with a lovely hot honey vinaigrette, this fall salad might be a perfect side dish on your Thanksgiving or Christmas table!
Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
~~ George Eliot, the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, a leading English novelist of the Victorian era.
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Fall Kale Salad
With the arrival of cool/cold weather, salads don’t appear as often on our table. When I decided to work on a fall salad, I wanted to include fall produce and flavors. A robust and hearty salad like this fall kale salad holds its own with a pot roast or roasted chicken.
What elements of this recipe constitute “fall” ingredients?
- kale – Yes, kale is a fall crop, as it thrives in cool weather and can withstand frost, which often makes the leaves sweeter. I chose kale because I wanted to do a raw green, and massaging kale with a bit of acid (lemon juice or mild vinegar) tenderizes it.
- fruit – I specify pears or apples, and pomegranate arils; all 3 are at their prime in the fall. Dried cranberries and persimmons would be good options as well.
- winter squash – I specify roasted butternut squash, and they’re definitely a fall vegetable. Pumpkin, delicata, or honey nut squash are great options. Sweet potatoes will be delicious, and always available.
Always one to bring in a Latin-inspired element, I finished the kale salad with aged cotija (or feta), toasted pepitas, and hot honey vinaigrette which combines honey with chile de arbol. I hope you’ll give it a whirl!
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- squash – I specify butternut squash, but you can use other winter squash varieties, sweet potatoes, even beets. Make it your own. NOTE: Many markets have pre-cubed butternut squash, and that’s a great time saver!
- kale – My local market in Black Mountain typically has purple, curly, and lacinato (dinosaur, Tuscan, or flat leaf) varieties available. I find the curly kale varieties work best for massaging for a salad with their sturdier texture. If you make the salad with a flat leaf variety, remove woody stems, and slice in thin strips. You can skip massaging with lemon juice.
- hot honey vinaigrette – Of course I encourage making this homemade hot honey vinaigrette. You can also find commercial hot honey vinaigrette.
- fruit – I specify pears and pomegranate arils. It’s really good with crisp fall apples as well. I have not tried figs or persimmons, but they’re in season in the fall.
- cheese – Cheese is of paramount importance at Andersen casa, and I usually have several kinds in my refrigerator drawer. I chose an aged cotija for this salad recipe. Feta and parmesan are good substitutes. Choose a somewhat salty, flavorful, and crumbly cheese.
- nuts/seeds – Toasted pepitas are a Latin staple, and they work really well in this recipe. You could really use any toasted nut, but pistachios and pine nuts would be really good substitutions!
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 400°.
- Roast butternut squash – Allow 25 to 35 minutes for this. Add 3/4″ cubes of butternut squash to a sheet pan, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast at 400° for 25 to 35 minutes until tender.
- Make the hot honey vinaigrette – If you’re making my hot honey vinaigrette, do that now (while the butternut squash roasts). If you have commercially prepared hot honey vinaigrette, you can skip this step!
- Massage the kale – Squeeze the lemon juice over the sliced kale. NOTE: If I have a juicy lemon, I only use half. If it’s dry, go ahead and use it all! Get your hands in there, and massage the lemon juice into the kale. It will start to soften. This should only require 2-3 minutes.
- Make the kale salad – Add all of the salad ingredients to a salad bowl – massaged kale, roasted butternut squash, sliced pears (or apples), pomegranate arils, toasted pepitas, and diced cotija or feta.
❓FAQ
It’s always best eaten fresh. However, kale is heartier, and will hold up until the next day. I lightly dress the salad to have less soggy leftovers. I’d eat it for lunch the next day, but toss it after that!
💡Tips
Many markets have cubed butternut squash, and they’re a huge time saver. I don’t know about you, but I HATE breaking down butternut squash.
Similar to the squash, pomegranates can be difficult and time-consuming to break down. Many markets have small tubs of pomegranate arils!
I lightly dress my salads, and pass the remaining vinaigrette. This results in less soggy leftovers.
In summary, the “holidays” include a lot of heavy, rich dishes, and it’s nice to have a few light, healthy recipes to balance it all out. I hope you’ll give this healthy fall kale salad a try! Happy Holidays!
Fall Kale Salad Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cubed butternut squash - ¾ inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1 bunch curly kale (about 5 cups or 67 g) - ribs removed, and coarsely chopped in bite-sized pieces
- 1 lemon
- 1 pear or apple - cubed or sliced
- ⅓ cup pomegranate arils
- ¼ cup toasted pepitas
- 2 ounces aged cotija - or feta
- ¼ to ⅓ cup hot honey vinaigrette
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉/204℃. Toss butternut squash cubes with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet, and roast until tender (25 to 30 minutes). Cool before adding to the salad.
- Add the prepared kale to a large salad bowl. Squeeze half of a juicy lemon (or whole if not juicy) over top. Using your hands, massage the kale 2 to 3 minutes to tenderize.
- Add butternut squash to the salad bowl, along with remaining ingredients. Toss to combine.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
I really liked this salad. I also like the fact that it’s possible to make a lot of substitutions, depending on what’s available in your area, so it’s really versatile in addition to being delicious.