Holiday Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash- Massaged in an apple-dijon vinaigrette, and served with tart cranberries and candied maple pecans, this kale salad is bursting with texture and flavor. Perfect to serve for the holidays!
I’ve got a ton of kale salad recipes on my site but this is the first one with a mustard dressing. Probably because I have a love-hate relationship with mustard. Brandon learned this the hard way during the first year we were dating…
At the time I was very hungry (read: very angry) and he was kind enough to make the trip to Publix (way back in the Florida days!) to grab us a few veggie subs while I waited at home with my blood sugar steadily dropping. As soon as he got back, I rushed to unwrap my sub and the scent of mustard hit me smack in the face. Y’all, I had a melt down. I’m talkin’ hair growing from my face, claws coming out, screams heard from two houses down.
I was so mad that he didn’t remember I don’t like mustard on my sandwich that I stormed out of the house in a fury and drove back to Publix to get myself a new one. I’m sure it was all he could do not to break-up with me right then and there. But now he won’t forget! I do NOT do mustard on my sandwich.
Holiday Kale Salad Ingredients + Substitutions
- Kale– Curly kale or lacinato kale will both work here. Curly kale does tend to hold up better when you massage the dressing in advance so keep that in mind for prepping ahead.
- Butternut Squash- If you’re not a fan of butternut squash, feel free to replace it with your preferred squash. Delicata squash would make a great alternative!
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil- We’re using olive oil to roast the squash and pecans, plus as the base of our dressing. You can substitute avocado oil for the roasting but I would stick with olive oil for the dressing for best results. You can also use tahini in place of the oil to make the dressing oil-free.
- Pecans- Candied pecans really make this salad, in my opinion. You could candy cashews instead or replace the candied nuts with pistachios. For a nut-free option, substitute with roasted pepitas.
- Pure Maple Syrup- Maple syrup is used to candy the pecans and add a hint of sweetness to the dressing. Honey would be the best alternative.
- Apple Cider Vinegar- If you’re not a fan of ACV, you can substitute lemon juice.
- Dijon Mustard- As much as I love-hate mustard, I do think dijon is key for the dressing so I don’t recommend leaving it out.
- Shallot- Adds a savory spark to the dressing but can be omitted if you prefer. I recommend leaving it out if you want to massage the dressing into the kale a day in advance as it can get a little stinky.
- Dried Cranberries- Whether you use sweetened or unsweetened dried cranberries is up to you. I like them unsweetened. Chopped dates or pomegranate arils are possible alternatives.
- Crumbled Cheese- The original version of this recipe called for gorgonzola cheese. Since we don’t eat dairy anymore, this updated version was made with a cashew based vegan blue cheese. Feel free to use whatever kind of cheese you like!
How to Make Holiday Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Roasted butternut squash for 30 minutes, or until tender.
- Bake pecans for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant.
- Blend ingredients for dressing (or whisk by hand).
- Massage dressing into kale.
- Assemble kale salad with roasted squash, candied pecans, dried cranberries, and crumbled cheese.
- Serve and enjoy!
Time Saving Tips
- Buy precut butternut squash
- Buy precut/washed kale (I hate stems so I prefer to buy the kale in bundles and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces prior to washing)
- Roast squash and pecans 1-2 days in advance
- Prep dressing 2-3 days in advance
More Holiday Recipe Inspiration
Holiday Kale Salad with Butternut Squash
Massaged with an apple-dijon vinaigrette, and served with tart cranberries and sweet salty maple pecans, this kale salad is bursting with texture and flavor. Perfect to serve for the holidays!
Servings: 4
For the Kale Salad and Butternut Squash
- 8 ounces chopped kale leaves, about 2 bundles, with stems removed
- 8 ounces ½-inch cubed butternut squash, from 1 small butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup crumbled cheese of choice, I used Rebel’s vegan blue cheese
For the Maple Pecans
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
For the Apple Dijon Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot, 1 small shallot (see notes)
- pinch salt & pepper
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
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On one of the baking sheets, arrange the cubed butternut squash on top. Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt, until evenly coated. Spread out so there is an inch or so between the squash cubes. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until fork tender. Set aside to cool.
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In a small bowl, combine the pecans, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Toss until evenly coated. Spread pecans out on the second baking sheet, allowing a few inches of space between each pecan. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes, keeping a close eye to make sure they do not burn. They will be slightly darker in color and fragrant when they are done. Remove from the oven and set aside.
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Prepare the dressing by combining everything in small food processor or bowl (if you choose to mince the shallot by hand). Whisk until smooth. Add salt & pepper or more dijon/vinegar, to taste.
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In a large bowl, add the chopped kale leaves. Pour the dressing over top. Using your hands, massage the dressing into the kale. Add the roasted squash, dried cranberries, crumbled cheese, and maple pecans. Toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
To prep ahead: the squash, pecans, and dressing can all be made 1-2 days in advance. I recommend waiting to massage the dressing into the kale and assembling the entire salad until the day of serving.
*Shallot adds a savory spark to the dressing but can be omitted if you prefer. I recommend leaving it out if you want to massage the dressing into the kale a day in advance as it can get a little stinky. 🙂
Calories: 396kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 22g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 238mg, Potassium: 532mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 11810IU, Vitamin C: 65mg, Calcium: 268mg, Iron: 2mg
