Kale and Butternut Squash Salad

5 from 2 votes

Kale and Butternut Squash Salad

This Kale and Butternut Squash Salad is the perfect cozy fall recipe — hearty, colorful, and full of flavor. With tender kale, roasted squash, orzo pasta, goat cheese, pistachios, and a flavorful maple dijon dressing, it’s a delicious mix of sweet and savory in every bite!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword kale and butternut squash salad, maple dijon dressing

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 10

Servings servings

Calories 482kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

2 heads kale - massaged
8-10 cups butternut squash
3 Tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
1/2 cup orzo - or quinoa
1/2 cup goat cheese
1/2 cup roasted shelled pistachios
1/4 cup pomegranate arils

For the dressing:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons shallots - minced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Instructions

Make dressing. In a mason jar, combine dressing ingredients – olive oil, red wine vinegar, orange juice, pure maple syrup, minced shallots, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Shake well and set aside until later.
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoons orange juice, 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup, 2 teaspoons shallots, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Prep butternut squash. Cut ends of squash and use a potato peeler to peel the skins off. Then use a sharp knife to chop into bite-sized chunks. Discard seeds.
Roast butternut squash. Preheat oven to 400-degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Add squash to the pans and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Spread squash out in a single layer to roast, switching pans to opposite oven racks about halfway through.
Roast squash until fork tender, 30 minutes or more.
8-10 cups butternut squash, 3 Tablespoons olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook orzo pasta. Meanwhile, cook orzo pasta in a pot of boiling, salty water, You can use chicken broth instead of water if desired. Cook pasta to al dente and then drain. Let cool.
1/2 cup orzo
Prep kale. Remove kale from stems and tear into bite-sized pieces. Rinse and drain in a salad spinner (or you can buy pre-packaged kale). Place in a large bowl, add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, and then use your hands to massage kale until vibrant green and velvety.
2 heads kale
Combine ingredients. In a large serving bowl, combine the kale, roasted squash, orzo pasta, goat cheese, pistachios, and pomegranate arils. Toss salad.
1/2 cup goat cheese, 1/2 cup roasted shelled pistachios, 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
Add dressing to serve. If serving a large group, add the dressing to the entire bowl. If you’re not intending to eat the entire recipe, then dress each individual serving separately. Store remaining ingredients undressed.

Notes

Store leftover ingredients in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days. Store dressing separately.
You may think that you have way more kale than needed, but it shrinks when you massage it. So use both heads of kale!

Nutrition