This kale and butternut squash salad will be your new favourite winter salad. Packed with chopped kale, roasted butternut squash and juicy pomegranate seeds this salad is not only colourful but bursting with flavour too. Make it for lunch or serve it as a side dish for the holidays.
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A delicious salad recipe this hearty kale and butternut squash dish is perfect for lunch or dinner. It's packed with flavour and so easy to make. Made using pantry staples and a few extra ingredients, this salad is filling and tasty, I'm making it on repeat at the moment.
The butternut squash and red onions are roasted until tender and served with kale, nuts, seeds, creamy feta and juicy pomegranate seeds. There are so many lovely flavours in this salad, I don't add a dressing to it but you can if you like.
🛒 What You'll Need
- Kale - I use curly kale for this salad, you can also use Cavolo nero.
- Butternut Squash - Fresh is best for this recipe. I peel my butternut squash but you can leave the skin on if you like. If you're not a fan of butternut squash then you could swap it for sweet potato if you like.
- Feta - Creamy feta cheese goes perfectly with the roasted butternut squash. You can also use goat cheese if you prefer, blue cheese also works very well.
- Red onion - I love roasted red onion in this salad, you can swap them for roasted shallots if you prefer.
- Pomegranate - Pomegranate arils add a lovely juiciness to this dish and I recommend using them but if you prefer you could swap them for slices of apple.
- Other ingredients - You will also need almonds, pumpkin seeds, zaatar, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
🔪 How To Make Kale and Butternut Squash Salad
Please see the recipe card below for full instructions and an ingredient list.
1. Preheat the oven to 180°c (350°F). Peel and cube the butternut squash. Remove the other layer of the red onion then cut into eights. Arrange the cubes of butternut squash and the onions in a single layer on a large baking tray then add the zaatar. Drizzle the olive oil over the veggies. Season with salt and pepper then bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Check the onions after 20 minutes and remove them from the oven once they are tender. The butternut squash will be done when it is golden brown and tender once skewered with a sharp knife.
2. Meanwhile, massage the kale. Add the raw kale to a large mixing bowl. Then add a pinch of salt, the lemon juice and the extra-virgin olive oil. Rub the juice, oil and salt into the kale leaves. You will need to do this for about ten minutes. You will see that the kale has darkened and has reduced in volume. Set aside until you are ready to use it.
3. Chop the nuts, and deseed the pomegranate. Drain the kale and add that to a large salad bowl.
4. Add the roasted red onion, butternut squash cubes, feta, nuts and seeds to the kale. Toss well then top with the pomegranate seeds. Drizzle a little lemon juice over the salad before serving.
👩🍳 Top Tips
- I use a vegetable peeler to peel the butternut squash, this is the easiest and safest way to peel it.
- Remove the onions from the oven as soon as they are tender. They won't need as long as the butternut squash.
- It's important to massage the kale for at least 10 minutes. This will break down the cellulose in the raw kale, making it easier to digest.
🔄 Variations
- Swap the kale for spinach - if you're not a fan of kale then you can easily use spinach instead. I would use baby spinach as it has a milder taste and is great in salads.
- Dressing - I don't use a dressing for this dish as I feel that there is so much flavour already there it doesn't need it. If you would like a little bit of dressing on this then try a balsamic vinaigrette or a simple vinaigrette with Dijon mustard.
- Swap the nuts - If you like you can swap the almonds for toasted pine nuts, walnuts work well as does a candied pecan or two! You can also swap the pumpkin seeds for sunflower seeds if you prefer them.
💭 FAQs
This salad is best made on the day as it is a warm salad, however, you can roast the butternut squash and the onions the day before if you like.
Any leftovers can be transferred to an airtight container and should be stored in the fridge. I would use this the next day.
Yes, you can, follow my recipe for air fryer butternut squash. You can also add the onions to the air fryer too.
🥗 More Winter Salads
- Apple Walnut Salad - Made with kale and feta this is a delicious fall salad. Great as a side dish or as the main dish for lunch.
- Kale and Quinoa Salad - Packed with flavour and loaded with veggies this salad is great for a tasty Winter lunch or dinner.
- Halloumi Salad with Butternut Squash - Ready in just 30 minutes this salad is tasty and filling and so easy to make.
🍽 More Salad Recipes
Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 465 g / half a large butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
- 1 l red onion outer skin removed then cut into eighths
- ½ a heaped tbsp of Zaatar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt divided into two equal parts
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided into two equal parts
- 100 g / 1½ cups of curly kale chopped and any woody kale stems removed.
- 1 medium lemon the juice of
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 100 g / ½ a cup of feta cut into cubes
- a pinch of sea salt
- 30 g / ¼ cup of almonds chopped into slivers
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- ½ a pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) fan oven, 200°C (390)°F conventional oven.Add the butternut squash cubes and the onion to a large baking tray.Sprinkle half a heaped tablespoon of zaatar over the vegetables then drizzle over a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss everything together.Bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of your cubes. Smaller cubes will take less time larger will take more time.Turn the vegetables halfway through cooking. Remove the onions if they are tender. The butternut squash should be golden brown and tender.
- Add the kale to a large mixing bowl. Add a pinch of sea salt, one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and t eh juice of half the lemon.Using your hands massage the salt and juices into the kale, you will need to do this for at least 10 minutes.The kale will reduce in size as it breaks down.Set aside until you are ready to use it.
- Drain the kale then add it to a large serving bowl, then add the butternut squash, onions, feta, nuts and seeds and toss well.Finally, add the pomegranate seeds and season with salt and pepper.Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over the salad before serving.
Notes
- Making Ahead - This salad is best made fresh as you want the squash to be warm when you serve it.
- Leftovers - Any leftovers can be transferred to an airtight container and should be stored in the fridge and used the next day.
- Nutritional Information - All nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
- Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.
Annette Chambers
Yummy
Chenee
The butternut squash adds such a hearty note to this salad. I really enjoyed it!
Beth
This is such a lovely fall salad. I love the natural sweetness of the butternut squash with the bite of the kale!
Lauren Vavala Harris
This kale and butternut salad is my new fall and winter go-to! It's easy to make a few up for the week and makes the best lunch!
Gianne
The combination of the tender kale leaves and the roasted butternut squash is a match made in heaven. It's so delicious, I could eat it every day!
Toni
Such a great salad recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing! I will definitely make it again!