Butternut squash and kale make the perfect simple Fall or Winter salad. The crunchy pecans, crisp apples, sweet raisins, and roasted butternut squash make the most amazing Autumn harvest salad recipe.
So many bright flavors and colors for a beautiful presentation. Top it all with a drizzle of the sweet homemade dressing, and a wonderful honey dijon vinaigrette, and it is simply delicious.
This is an easy, healthy, filling, and yummy superfood kale salad recipe. Butternut squash is a great low-calorie vegetable with tons of nutrition and fiber. Like my spring recipe for Strawberry Arugula Salad there is no resisting the sweet & savory flavor combination.
Jump to:
- Ingredients for Kale Salad with Butternut Squash and Apples
- How to Peel and Cut a Butternut Squash
- Roast the Butternut Squash Cubes
- Make the Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
- How to Make Butternut Squash Kale Salad
- What to Serve with Kale Salad
- Substitutions & Variations
- Storing
- Butternut Squash, Apple, and Kale Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
Ingredients for Kale Salad with Butternut Squash and Apples
For the salad, the ingredients used include golden raisins, raw kale, cubed butternut squash, Honeycrisp apples, and salted pecan halves. These simple ingredients are easy to find & pack a ton of nutrients.
For the vinaigrette, you will need olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. The dash of cayenne and the creamy dijon, both add a bit of heat to the sweetness of the salad for a great balance.
- Fresh Kale - baby kale works but & store-bought bags prewashed save time.
- Butternut Squash - precut or cut your own
- Apples - use whatever your favorite is but a sweet-tart combination like Honeycrisp works best
- Golden Raisins - sweet & chewy bites for a pop of flavor.
- Pecans - salted & roasted nuts for crunch
- Honey - sweetness & thickness to the dressing
- Dijon Mustard - flavor & helps the dressing emulsify
- Apple Cider Vinegar - the tart kick for the dressing
- Cayenne Pepper - a kick to balance teh sweetness of the salad
- Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
See the recipe card for amounts & complete instructions.
How to Peel and Cut a Butternut Squash
For this recipe, I recommend cubes the size of playing dice. This way they are big enough to hold together after roasting them and easy to eat with a fork. If they are too small they will turn a bit mushy or fall apart as you toss the salad or try and eat it.
To start off make sure you have a sturdy cutting board and a sharp chef's knife. A very sharp knife is needed for getting through the tough exterior of the butternut squash. Some of the best knives cost less than $100 so every kitchen should have one.
Here are the steps to cut butternut squash into small cubes.
- Cut off the top and bottom so each end is straight & flat.
- Use a sharp vegetable peeler or a sharp chef's knife to remove the peel from all sides.
- Stand the squash upright.
- Cut the butternut squash into rounds, cutting horizontally.
- Spoon or remove seeds and squash threads/fibers.
- Next, the rounds are then cut into strips and then cut into the dice-sized cubes needed for this recipe. See the image below.
- Then dice the remaining flesh.
- Done!
They will not be perfect cube shapes but as long as they are about the same size in thickness and width, they will cook the same and be just as tasty.
Roast the Butternut Squash Cubes
Roasting the butternut squash adds so much flavor and is so easy to do. Whether you cut your own squash or you bought it already cut up, Trader Joe's carries cubed butternut squash, making sure the size of the cubes is uniform is important. This way they will all cook evenly.
Add the cubes to a sheet pan and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan in the oven for 30 minutes at 400°.
Make the Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
In a small mixing bowl, add the ingredients for the vinaigrette and whisk. It will create an emulsion thanks to the Dijon mustard. That thickening of the dressing allows it to stick to all the salad ingredients and really flavors every bite without making it soggy.
The apples will remain crisp, the raw kale will not wilt, and the butternut squash will shine with flavor. Look at how gorgeous and dreamy the butternut squash, apple, and chopped kale salad with homemade honey dijon dressing is.
How to Make Butternut Squash Kale Salad
To make the butternut squash, apple, and pecan kale salad, you will need a large serving platter or salad bowl. There is no need to massage the chopped fresh kale for this recipe. Simply add the kale to the serving platter or bowl.
Top with the remaining salad ingredients; roasted squash, diced apples, & crunch nuts. Finally, drizzle or pour the homemade vinaigrette dressing over the kale salad. Finally, toss to coat and then serve.
For another great salad recipe with fresh seasonal ingredients, check out my delicious summer recipe for GRILLED PEACH, AVOCADO, AND GOAT CHEESE ARUGULA SALAD.
What to Serve with Kale Salad
Here are some great recipe ideas for soups, sandwiches, and sides to serve with kale salads. These recipes go well with the hearty kale salad and the yummy fall ingredients.
Substitutions & Variations
Here are some recipe alternative ingredients & changes to make that will work well. As written, this recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian, and paleo.
- Kale - use regular, curly, or dino kale - try spinach or arugula if you are not a fan of kale
- Dressing - use your favorite bottled salad dressing instead of homemade
- Pecans - use other nuts like almonds or walnuts
- Nut-free - use pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds instead
- Apples - try a variety of kinds or use fuyu persimmons which are fantastic in Fall.
- Vegan - use maple syrup instead to make a vegan option.
- Protein - add shredded chicken, diced turkey, cooked shrimp, or garbanzo beans for a complete meal packed with protein.
Storing
Once prepared & dressed, this kale salad will keep in the fridge for about 8 hours. I suggest storing the dressing and salad separately to combine later for the best results. Cut apples last minute to keep them from browning.
Leftover kale freezes well. Follow my steps on how to freeze kale to preserve it for later use. It is great in stews or soups like my as a subustitute for cabbage in my keto cabbage roll soup.
FAQ
Kale holds up really well without getting too soggy even after it is dressed. You can make this salad ahead of time and pack it for picnics or lunch at the office. The only downside is the apples may oxidize and turn a bit brown.
Any variety of kale will work in this recipe. Remember to remove the thick membranes and finally chop big leaves so they are bite-sized. Lacinato kale is the most common kind found in stores and works great.
Product Recommendations for this Recipe:
The Short Order Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. This helps with the costs of running the blog. Thank you!
Butternut Squash, Apple, and Kale Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 8-10 oz Kale washed, trimmed, and cut
- 4 C butternut squash dice-sized cubes
- 2 medium Honeycrisp apples cored and diced
- ½ C pecan halves salted
- ¼ C golden raisins
- olive oil, salt & pepper for roasting the butternut squash
Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
- ⅓ C olive oil
- ¼ C apple cider vinegar
- 1 TB dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon honey
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Cut the butternut squash into dice-sized cubes as shown above.
- Add butternut squash to a sheet pan and sprinkle with about ½ Tb of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange into a single layer. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes and mix at least once while cooking to get multiples sides golden. They are done when they are fork-tender but not too soft. Let cool.
- Core and dice the apples and gather the rest of the ingredients for the salad.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the ingredients for the vinaigrette and whisk.
- On a large platter or in a large mixing bowl, add the kale, butternut squash, apples, pecans, and raisins. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently to evenly coat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide onto 6 serving plates to enjoy. This also works as a main course salad for about 4 people.
Notes
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 361 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 25.5g | 33% |
Saturated Fat 2.8g | 14% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 26mg | 1% |
Total Carbohydrate 35.5g | 13% |
Dietary Fiber 6.4g | 23% |
Total Sugars 16.1g | |
Protein 4.5g | |
Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
Calcium 126mg | 10% |
Iron 2mg | 13% |
Potassium 774mg | 16% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Did you make this The Short Order Cook Recipe?
Tag @theshortordercookblog (Instagram & Facebook) or @shortorder_cook (Twitter).
I would love to see your latest creations and kitchen adventures.
Caroline Parrott says
Short Order Cook,
I notice the recipe does not mention to massage the kale? Have you heard of that? I have been seeing that note in several raw kale recipes lately and wonder if it makes it easier to chew or enhances the flavor or something? Just curious. This recipe looks so good and screams Fall.
Angela says
Thanks for the question. I tend to NOT massage my kale when I also dice or rip it apart. By the time I have washed, dried, and ripped them up for a salad, they have been handled enough that they are not too tough. When I plan to use large kale leaves say to use in a wrap for sandwiches, then I do massage it a bit to help it become more flexible to work with and tender to bite through. I hope that helps and that you enjoy the salad!
Caroline Parrott says
It does! Perhaps I will try on Thanksgiving! Thank you.
Cindy Mailhot says
Looks yummy.
Karie says
Looks delicious and something fun and new to try.
Kelly says
Sounds pretty good! I actually forgot about Kale, maybe because once upon a time I used to eat it so much and had to take a break lol but after reading this I think it's time to start purchasing again. I love roasting foods in the oven so that's another plus. Thanks
Angela says
Yes, get kale soon and try this lovely salad. You will love it and the roasted veggies in it.
Charlene says
This looks like the most delicious fall salad! Can’t wait to try it!
Candy Keefer says
This looks like a perfect fall recipe! Can't wait to try it out. Thank you.
Angela says
You are welcome - Happy Fall!
Alexis Farmer says
This looks awesome! I love butternut squash.
Angela says
Me too, all about the butternut squash (not a pumpkin fan at all!!)
Darby says
This looks AMAZING!!! I want to try to make it for my fiance and I next week for our lunch!
Angela says
I hope you both enjoy it.
Bonnie says
This looks really good....and I don't generally eat kale 😉
Angela says
Give Kale a Chance! All I am saying...ok, I will stop singing now! haha
Kendra says
This sounds fantastic! I currently have a surplus of kale from my garden at the moment, so this would be perfect.
Angela says
Enjoy all that homegrown kale with the yummy butternut squash and apples!
Denise says
This does look SO yummy! 😋 I will change the Kale to Spinach though lol Thank you for sharing another good salad to try and has a lot of color to it too 👍🏼
Angela says
You are welcome, enjoy!
elaina says
Yummy! I was just looking for new salad recipes to use with kale from our garden.
Angela says
Great, so glad you are growing kale and now have a wonderful new recipe.
Tricia Snow says
The flavors sound amazing in this salad! It is perfect for fall!
Jessica says
I have one go-to kale salad I love to make and eat, but I really need to try some new ones. This sounds so delicious and perfect for fall, I'm adding it to my recipes-to-make list!!
Angela says
I hope this becomes your next go-to kale salad recipe.
Barbara says
This looks so yummy!
Marielle says
I'd like to use squash more in my cooking. This looks like a tasty salad. Thanks for sharing! I pinned for later! I'm visiting today from Friday Favorites link up. Have a great weekend Angela!
Angela says
Thanks for the comment and pinning - I hope you enjoy the salad. Have a lovely weekend too, Marielle.
Miz Helen says
Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday,507! We featured your post this past week and hope you will come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Angela says
Thank you so much Miz Helen!
Dee | Grammy's Grid says
Looks good! Thanks so much for linking up with me at my #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 18, open until November 26. Shared.
Amy says
Can I make this ahead? Thanks!
Angela says
You can roast the butternut squash ahead of time. The kale can be prepped too. Apples will turn brown once cut so I would not do that until it is time to enjoy. I would then assemble and add the dressing right before serving.