Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad

Rest assured, this is no ordinary salad. The base is a mixture of crispy and chewy roasted butternut squash and cabbage wedges, which get mixed with chopped kale, carrot ribbons, and chickpeas. Everything gets tossed in a tangy red wine vinaigrette and finally topped with an addictive sweet-and-spicy almond crunch. In case this salad doesn’t sound as good as I think it does, then you should trust my partner Max’s feedback. I can rarely get him to eat salads (especially anything with kale, which he refers to as roughage), but after one bite, he grabbed a huge bowl and said “I assume this is for me.” BOLD move, Max. Bold move. If you’re looking for another super fun salad that doesn’t feel like a salad, this Actually Good Quinoa Salad is a must try! Gourmet but easy and affordable. All the unique flavors and textures make this salad fit for fall entertaining (think Thanksgiving first course!). That said, this salad is quite simple and made with everyday, affordable ingredients. Texture and flavor heaven. Chewy and crispy butternut squash, tender roasted cabbage, crisp kale and carrots, a crunchy almond topping – so many great textures here! Roasting the cabbage and squash bring out their natural sweetness, which is complemented by the sweet-and-spicy almond crunch and balanced by the tangy, subtly sweet-and-spicy vinaigrette. Peel the butternut squash, cut in half, and scoop out the seeds. Slice, crosswise, into ¼” thick half-moon slices. Use a mandoline for even slices (it’s also quicker). Cut the cabbage in half, then into 1” thick wedges. Using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, peel the carrots into wide ribbons. Toss the squash slices with olive oil, maple syrup, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Toss the cabbage with olive oil, salt, and pepper and transfer to a second baking sheet. Roast the cabbage and squash for 15 minutes. Flip cabbage wedges and toss the squash. Continue roasting for 10-13 minutes, until cabbage edges are dark brown and squash is browned on edges and tender. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Whisk together the garlic, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, and oregano in a bowl. Stream in the olive oil, whisking as you go, and season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, make the almond crunch. In a frying pan over medium, add the almonds, agave, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly until browned and caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to parchment paper and squish together. Once set, break into clumps. Assemble the salad. Add the chopped kale and carrot ribbons to a large bowl. Add the chickpeas and some of the vinaigrette. Toss the ingredients to combine. Add the roasted squash and cabbage, along with the almond crunch. Add the remaining vinaigrette and toss again.

Tips for making this salad

Butternut squash. Thinly slicing butternut squash into half-moons is my favorite way to prep squash. It’s much easier to do this with a mandoline, which will get you even slices (which will roast evenly). Of course, you can still cut them without a mandoline, but a sharp chef’s knife is a must. If you struggle to cut the squash in half, pop the whole uncut squash in the microwave for 2 minutes. This softens it, making it much easier to slice through. Carrots. You’ll need a Y-shaped/wide vegetable peeler to shave the carrots into ribbons. This is easier when the carrots are on the larger/wider size. When you get to the point where you can no longer shave long peels, just slice the remaining carrots thinly – it adds a nice crunchy texture. Cabbage. First cut the cabbage in half (you need to leave the core intact so the leaves stay together, but trim the tough white stem at the bottom). Then cut through the core to get wedges. Almond crunch. You can make this a few days ahead of time and store in a sealed jar in your pantry. Roasting vegetables. I prefer roasting the cabbage and squash on well-worn baking sheets instead of lining the sheets with parchment paper. I find the veggies brown better (and more quickly) this way. Want to make this salad heartier? Add in another can of chickpeas! Leftovers. If you plan to keep leftovers, the salad is still good 2-3 days later, but the texture will be best if you dress only the amount of salad you plan to eat that day. Store the leftover, undressed salad in a container in the fridge, store the vinaigrette in a sealed jar on the counter for a few days or in the fridge, and store almond crunch in a sealed jar on the counter. Serve with a hearty main dish for a complete holiday meal. Some favorite options include Greek Vegan Moussaka, Vegan Shepherd’s Pie, or Mushroom Stroganoff. First holiday season as a vegan? Check out my holiday survival guide for vegans!

Substitutions

If you don’t have a Y-shaped peeler, slice the carrots into thin coins or with a mandoline. Nut-free? Substitute the almonds with sunflower seeds. I have tried making the almond crunch with sunflower seeds instead and it works great. If your nuts are salted, skip the salt or go really light on it. I personally love the tang from the red wine vinegar in this vinaigrette, but I’m sure it would also work with apple cider or sherry vinegar. And if you already have a batch of Red Wine Vinaigrette on hand or on your to-make list, feel free to use that instead of the vinaigrette listed in the recipe. It stays good in the fridge for two weeks! The agave nectar is what really helps the almonds caramelize and stick to one another. It might work with maple syrup but the nuts may not stick together as much (I haven’t tried it).