This butternut squash and kale salad with a warm walnut vinaigrette is quite a refreshing side at any Holiday table. The warm vinaigrette mellows the butternut squash and takes the edge off their rawness. The walnuts and pinch of cinnamon add rich sweetness to the salad. And I believe the pomegranate seeds bring in some suave to it.
Butternut squash soup and roasted butternut squash are great, but this salad is a class apart. My Thanksgiving table is incomplete without this salad. Not quite the quintessential holiday side dish, but I implore you to give it a try. Softly but surely place a platter of this salad among all your gratins and casseroles. And watch it vanish slowly as the evening goes by. I have been a witness to that for many years now.
This salad is so hearty and satisfying, yet feels so light and refreshing. I doubt you will, but even if you have leftovers from this salad, it tastes great the next day too. The butternut squash loses its crunchiness but after absorbing so much of the vinaigrette it actually tastes better. Which makes it a great make-ahead tossed salad for busy hosts.
Recipe
| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
 | 2 cups grated butternut squash |
| 2 cups baby kale |
| ¼ cup fresh parsley |
| â…“ cup pomegranate seeds |
| 1 medium shallot, sliced thin |
| 3 tablespoons olive oil |
| 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar |
| 1 teaspoon sea salt |
| ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper |
| A pinch of ground cinnamon |
| ¼ cup chopped walnuts |
| Instructions | |
|---|---|
| Peel butternut squash, split it in half across. Scoop out the seeds and the pulp. Cut each half in one inch strips |
| Feed the butternut squash strips through the tube of a food processor fitted with a grating blade. Grate squash until you have 2 cups of it |
| Remove the grated squash to a serving platter |
| Add baby kale and fresh parsley |
| For the vinaigrette, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a small pan |
| Add 1 sliced shallot to the warm oil. Take care not to burn the shallot. The shallot needs to poach in the warm oil and not fried. It will take about 30 seconds to a minute |
| Add the chopped walnuts to the oil and shallot followed by a pinch of cinnamon |
| Stir in balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper |
| Pour hot vinaigrette over butternut squash and Kale. Toss to combine |
| Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and serve |
If you make this Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Warm Walnut Vinaigrette, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you! And if you do make this recipe, please don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or your favorite social media platform! I would love to see pictures of your creations.
Inspiration: My vegan friends gathering around my Thanksgiving table
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