Description
A hearty roasted delicata squash salad. Golden rings of quick roasted delicata squash combine with fresh kale, tangy goat cheese, toasted pepitas, shallots, sweet-tart pomegranate arils, and a quick and simple apple cider vinaigrette. A lovely and flavorful salad all through the fall season, and especially suited for Thanksgiving and holiday entertaining. Gluten free and vegan friendly.
Ingredients
for the delicata squash salad:
- 1 medium delicata squash, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1–2 tsp pure maple syrup, to taste
- 1 medium bunch Lacinato kale, tough stems removed and chopped or torn to bite-size
- 2 cups baby kale leaves
- 1 small shallot, shaved or thinly-sliced
- 3 oz goat cheese, crumbled ¹
- 1/4 cup pomegrate arils
- 1/4 cup pepitas ²
apple cider vinaigrette:
- 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice ³
- 1–2 tsp pure maple syrup, to taste
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Roast the delicata squash:
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Chop your delicata squash and layer the slices on the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and maple syrup, just enough to lightly coat. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast the squash, flipping once or twice to ensure both sides are browning, until golden, caramelized, and fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to add to the salad.
Make the apple cider vinaigrette:
- Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients except for the salt and pepper to a leftover jam or mason jar, and shake well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Assemble the salad:
- Add the chopped lacinato kale leaves to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with about 1 Tablespoon of dressing (or enough to lightly coat), and use your fingers to massage the kale for a couple of minutes to tenderize the greens.
- Toss with the baby kale and shallot, then top with the roasted squash, goat cheese, pomegranate, and pepitas.
- Drizzle the salad with additional dressing, to taste, and toss together when ready to serve. Enjoy!!
Notes
¹ Feta cheese or even a salty shaved pecorino can be substituted for the goat cheese, if you prefer.
² Pepitas are small specialty pumpkin seeds. If you can’t find them, or prefer a different seed or nut, pine nuts and pecans would also be excellent here. For an extra flavor boost, toast the pepitas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
³ I like the flavor and sweetness of orange juice here, but lemon juice would also work well.
Make it vegan: simply skip the cheese or use a plant-based cheese instead.
Keywords: roasted delicata squash salad, winter squash, kale, goat cheese, pomegranate, maple, vinaigrette, pepitas, gluten free, holiday, side salad