Bursting with color, flavor, and texture, this salad delights all the senses. With the perfect combination of healthy and delicious, it is always a reliable crowd-pleaser. The recipe can be easily modified for guests with various dietary restrictions: you can put the cheese on the side for vegans or substitute the nuts with roasted/salted pepitas for those with nut allergies. Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free! At a recent potluck, one enthusiastic guest enjoying her third portion said, “I feel like I’m eating autumn in a bowl.” This makes it an excellent choice to balance out a heavy Thanksgiving meal. And with the light, refreshing pomegranate it feels right at home alongside cool summer fruit salads. It’s a dish for all seasons!
Serves 15 people
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2 T olive oil
- ½ t kosher salt
- ¼ t ground pepper
- 10 oz fresh Tuscan kale about 2 bunches or 1 small bag
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ¾ cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
Dressing
- 2 T Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ t kosher salt
- 1 pinch sugar
- 3 T balsamic vinegar
- 8 T olive oil
Instructions
Salad
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
- Peel squash and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes.
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil or parchment.
- In a large bowl, toss the squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper to evenly coat the cubes.
- Divide the squash evenly between the two baking sheets and spread into an even layer with as much space between cubes as possible. This allows the cubes to brown on the edges. If they are too close together the squash will steam and become mushy.
- Bake 35-40 minutes, switching the positions of the pans and rotating each pan. When cubes crisp up on the bottom, loosen them gently with a metal spatula and flip them over so the other side can get crispy.
- Cut kale into thin ribbons, removing stems.
- Toss kale, almonds, pomegranate seeds, cheese, and squash in serving bowl. For firmer kale you may choose to wait for squash to cool before tossing.
Dressing
- Combine dijon, garlic, salt and sugar in a small jar or other small tightly lidded container and mix into a paste.
- Add balsamic vinegar and oil.
- Tightly close jar and shake vigorously until dressing is emulsified.
- Serve alongside salad so guests can dress to taste and salad remains crisp.
