Fall Kale Salad with Delicata Squash

For your Thanksgiving table, a dinner party, or a weeknight dinner, this fall kale salad makes a stunning ode to the harvest. Don’t miss it.

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Why we love this recipe

With one look at this fall kale salad, you’ll start to get a sense for how special it is. It’s showing off a little, maybe, with its jewel tones and geometric shapes — but it’s got the substance to back it up. This salad is:

• Full of vibrant colors and flavors
• A little bit sweet, a little bit savory, a little bit earthy, a little bit tangy
• Full of beautiful contrasting textures
• Light but satisfying
• Flexible — add protein to make it a meal
• Vegan and gluten-free

I first published this recipe here back in 2016. I’ve since updated the post for clarity, but the recipe remains the same.

What you’ll need

Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Delicata squash is a real favorite of ours, and happily it’s become a lot easier to find in the past 10 years or so. The flavor of a good delicata is almost inexplicably complex and satisfying for something that comes from a seed in the ground. The texture of the flesh is fabulous — not too wet, not too dry. It holds its beautiful shape like a charm. And the skin is edible, so there’s no need to peel. What more could you ask for in a squash?
• Green curly kale tends to have a fairly mild flavor, and it becomes nice and tender when you massage it with the dressing.
• I originally developed this recipe with regular green cabbage, but I love to make it with Napa cabbage when I have some. You can use any kind you like. If using Napa cabbage, cut out the white ribs and shred the leafy parts only.
• A little bit of very thinly sliced red onion adds dimension and a gentle bite. Giving it a few minutes to meld with the vinegar takes the edge off.
• Apple cider vinegar has a mild, slightly autumnal flavor profile and gentle acidity that balances the sweetness of the other ingredients.
• Walnut halves make a beautiful presentation, but smaller pieces are fine, too. You’ll toast them briefly with the tiniest bit of sugar.
• You can buy pomegranate seeds (also called pomegranate arils) in a little container if you don’t want to excavate them yourself.
• You can make your own balsamic glaze by simmering regular balsamic vinegar until it’s thick and syrupy, but I usually just buy it in a bottle. We like drizzling it over everything from pizza to steak, so it never goes to waste.

How to make it

Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a beautiful fall kale salad. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.

1. First you’ll get the squash into the oven to roast.
2. Massage the kale with the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss in the onion and cabbage and let it sit.
3. Toast and lightly caramelize the walnuts. Then toss them into the salad along with the pomegranate arils.
4. Arrange roasted squash on top of salad and drizzle with balsamic glaze. That’s it!

Expert tips and FAQs

More favorite kale salads

• Lemon garlic kale salad with halloumi
• Massaged kale salad with nutritional yeast
• Sweet potato Buddha bowl

5 from 6 votes

Fall Kale Salad with Delicata Squash

By Carolyn Gratzer Cope

For your Thanksgiving table, a dinner party, or a weeknight dinner, this fall kale salad makes a stunning ode to the harvest. Don't miss it.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

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Ingredients 

• ▢ 1 medium delicata squash
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, divided
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• ▢ 1 bunch curly kale
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 cups shredded cabbage
• ▢ ¼ small red onion, sliced very thin (about 1/2 cup)
• ▢ ½ cup (60 grams) walnut halves or pieces
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar
• ▢ ½ cup (125 grams) pomegranate arils
• ▢ Balsamic glaze

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Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the center.
• Cut the squash into 1/4-inch thick rings (remove seedy centers with a biscuit cutter) or half-rings (halve squash first from stem to bottom and scoop out seeds with a spoon).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place squash slices on pan and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, until evenly coated. Arrange squash in a single layer.
• Roast until lightly browned and tender, about 30 minutes. You can flip the slices with a spatula halfway through if you like. Truth be told, I don't usually bother.
• Strip the kale leaves from their stems and discard stems. Tear leaves into bite-sized pieces. Wash and dry thoroughly and place in a large salad bowl. Add the remaining two tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale.
• Add the cabbage and onion to the bowl and toss well. Let it sit while you prepare the rest of the salad.
• Set a small pan over medium heat and add walnuts and sugar. Keep a close eye on the pan as you cook, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently as you go along, to melt the sugar onto the nuts and lightly toast the nuts. Depending on your stove, this can take anywhere from about 90 seconds to 5 minutes.
• To serve the salad, gently toss in most of the walnuts and pomegranate arils. Transfer to a wide, flat bowl or rimmed serving plate. Arrange the squash slices overtop and sprinkle with remaining nuts and arils. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Notes

1. Delicata squash is a real favorite of ours, and happily it’s become a lot easier to find in the past 10 years or so. The flavor of a good delicata is almost inexplicably complex and satisfying for something that comes from a seed in the ground. The texture of the flesh is fabulous — not too wet, not too dry. It holds its beautiful shape like a charm. And the skin is edible, so there’s no need to peel. What more could you ask for in a squash?
2. Green curly kale tends to have a fairly mild flavor, and it becomes nice and tender when you massage it with the dressing.
3. I originally developed this recipe with regular green cabbage, but I love to make it with Napa cabbage when I have some. You can use any kind you like. If using Napa cabbage, cut out the white ribs and shred the leafy parts only.
4. A little bit of very thinly sliced red onion adds dimension and a gentle bite. Giving it a few minutes to meld with the vinegar takes the edge off.
5. Apple cider vinegar has a mild, slightly autumnal flavor profile and gentle acidity that balances the sweetness of the other ingredients.
6. Walnut halves make a beautiful presentation, but smaller pieces are fine, too. You'll toast them briefly with the tiniest bit of sugar.
7. You can buy pomegranate seeds (also called pomegranate arils) in a little container if you don't want to excavate them yourself.
8. You can make your own balsamic glaze by simmering regular balsamic vinegar until it's thick and syrupy, but I usually just buy it in a bottle. We like drizzling it over everything from pizza to steak, so it never goes to waste.
9. To make this salad a meal, my favorite additions are a can of chickpeas and 8 ounces of diced, pan-fried halloumi. Shredded chicken, sliced steak, or leftover Thanksgiving turkey would also make great options.
10. The salad is nice and sturdy, so it will hold at room temperature for several hours, so you can assemble it in a spare moment on Thanksgiving or before you leave the house for that dinner party, even if it will be a while before it’s served. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcal, Carbohydrates: 11.5g, Protein: 3.2g, Fat: 22.5g, Fiber: 3.1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salads + Bowls

Cuisine: American

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