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Epicurious

Kale Salad With Butternut Squash, Pomegranate, and Pumpkin Seeds

5.0

(55)

Read ReviewsTriangle
Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash Pomegranate and Pumpkin Seeds
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton

  • Active Time

    50 minutes

  • Total Time

    1 hour

Ingredients

8–10 servings

1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled cut into 3/4" cubes
1/2 cup, plus 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 whole head garlic
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 pounds Tuscan kale (about 2 large bunches), stemmed, leaves thinly sliced
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
1 cup pomegranate seeds (from 1 large pomegranate)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together squash, 2 tsp. olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Place whole head of garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 tsp. oil, wrap securely in foil and place on baking sheet with squash. Roast, stirring squash occasionally after the first 15 minutes, until squash is golden and tender and garlic is tender, 35–40 minutes. Remove garlic and squash from oven and set aside to cool.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp. oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pepitas and cook, stirring occasionally, until about half are golden brown, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with 1/4 tsp. salt. Set aside.

    Step 3

    Cut off the top of the garlic head and squeeze all of the softened garlic into a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice, maple syrup, mustard, shallot, 1 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper, then whisk in oil in a slow, steady stream.

    Step 4

    In a large mixing bowl, combine kale with about 3/4 of the dressing, and use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale. Add more dressing as needed (you may not need all of it). Reserve any leftover dressing for another use.

    Step 5

    Add roasted squash, Parmesan, and pomegranate seeds to bowl; toss together to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl, and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

  2. Do ahead

    Step 6

    Dressing can be prepared 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Squash and garlic can be roasted, and kale can be sliced 1 day ahead; place separately in airtight containers and chill. Salad can be tossed together 30 minutes ahead; keep at room temperature.

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Reviews (55)

Back to TopTriangle

  • Fabulous recipe! Beautiful, easy and healthy. I was serving it to vegan friends so dropped the cheese - it was great without it. I used buttercup squash as I prefer it but otherwise made it as per the recipe and it was great.

    • January 1205

    • Norwood, ON, Canada

    • 1/17/2024

  • Everyone absolutely loves this salad. It is so beautiful and festive. Just a tip, I throw away about 85% of the kale and only use the very edges where it is curly and has no large veins. That makes it a lot more enjoyable to eat, especially for people who don't like kale. Multiple people have asked me for the recipe. I make this every Thanksgiving and Christmas!

    • Anonymous

    • 12/17/2023

  • This recipe is a consistent winner - looks great and tastes even better. Have served it multiple times for guests who uniformly have enjoyed it. It's in the mix for our Thanksgiving celebration.

    • Robert G

    • Copenhagen DK

    • 11/16/2022

  • Made this last night for a dinner party and received rave reviews. Everyone loved it. I'm making it again tomorrow night just for my family. Delicious. I didn't have enough kale so added chopped romaine.

    • Ann L.

    • Boulder, CO

    • 1/14/2022

  • I've now made this art least 4 times. It's beautiful, delicious and has the audacity to be healthy too! My one 'cheat' has been using roasted pepitas. I've had it with and without the cheese. I love cheese, but this salad is great without it (better IMHO). The flavors and textures are a delight. The dressing ...oh my... just make it - this recipe is a total winner!

    • Erica P

    • 11/29/2021

  • This is a great salad! Highly recommend. Making it for the second week in a row. My new fave fall salad.

    • Christy

    • Boulder, CO

    • 11/13/2021

  • This salad is delicious! After reading reviews I used kale and spinach mix. Any green combination would work as the ingredients are fabulous.

    • jacpeeb

    • Denver CO

    • 2/11/2021

  • Unfortunately, I had to make this without garlic or shallot (due to food sensitivities) and it’s definitely missing something. With those ingredients I’m sure this is fantastic. Without, it’s fine but I wouldn’t serve it to anyone.

    • mags425

    • 12/6/2020

  • This salad dressing is my go to now. I could eat this everyday. It's so easy to throw together. I dont use roasted garlic. I just toss in some garlic powder and its still just as yummy.

    • iknowcourtney

    • Kansas City

    • 5/7/2020

  • This was delicious! I left out the parmesan this time, but it was tasty nevertheless. I find it best to puree the dressing in a blender.

    • miriamg

    • NJ

    • 10/20/2019

  • The best tasting and most beautiful salad I've ever made! The colors are perfect for the holidays and the salad dressing is exceptional.

    • toberry

    • Bozeman, MT

    • 12/8/2018

  • Perfect salad! Love the dressing in this recipe and use it all the time now.

    • unpetitoeuf

    • Boston, MA

    • 12/4/2018

  • A delicious salad that is filled with 'power' ingredients. Additionally, it's a salad that does not wilt after a few days in the fridge (I probably keep longer than most) and has re-introduced pomegranate seeds to my diet. Will definitely make recovering from Thanksgiving so much easier, I look forward to having a bit of this!

    • rstarner3877

    • Columbia, SC

    • 11/27/2018

  • It's rare that a salad gets 4 forks from me, but this one deserves it. So flavorful! I added shaved brussel sprouts and half a granny smith apple. Crunchy veggies contrast with the soft squash and the sweet pomegranate and tart apple so nicely! I let the kale and the Brussels sit with some of the dressing for a bit to soften them. Bringing this to Thanksgiving dinner.

    • Anonymous

    • SpencerSpeSpencertown, NYSpencertown, NY

    • 11/20/2018

  • Absolutely one of my favorite salads. It is a hit with all every time I make it.

    • lpotash

    • Bloomingdale, NJ

    • 11/17/2018

TagsSaladButternut SquashSquashVegetableKaleLeafy GreensPomegranateFruitSideDinnerLunchVegetarianGluten FreeMake AheadRoastThanksgivingWinterEpicurious

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