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A serving plate of butternut squash kale salad topped with crumbled feta, red onion slices, and pecans.

Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad

This Butternut Squash Kale Salad is the ultimate cozy fall salad! Bright, flavorful, and full of seasonal flavors, it can be served on its own, added to your holiday table, or prepped ahead for lunches throughout the week. It’s sure to be a crowd favorite!
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Liv King

Ingredients
 

Butternut Squash Kale Salad

  • 3 cups Butternut Squash Cubes
  • 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil or olive oil
  • Pinch of Salt and Pepper for roasting squash
  • 1 cup dry Farro see note
  • 4 cups chopped Curly Kale
  • 3 cups chopped Tuscan Kale
  • ⅓ cup diced Red Onion
  • ⅓ cup Toasted Pecans
  • ⅓ cup Vegan Feta I used Follow your Heart
  • ⅓ cup Dried Cranberries

Balsamic Maple Dressing

  • 1 tablespoon Minced Shallot
  • 1 Garlic Clove minced
  • ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • ⅓ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt see note
  • Pinch of Black Pepper
  • Red Pepper Flakes optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400℉.
  • Cube a butternut squash. You’ll only need about 3 cups for the salad, but since a whole squash gives you more, go ahead and roast it all and keep the extra for later.
  • Toss the cubes with avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until golden and tender, then let them cool.
  • Cook the farro according to the package instructions. I use Trader Joe’s 10-minute farro.
  • Make the balsamic maple dressing by adding the minced shallot and garlic to a jar, followed by the remaining ingredients. Close the lid and shake vigorously until combined.
  • Add the curly kale to a large bowl. Drizzle over a spoonful of dressing, then massage the leaves with your hands until they soften and deepen in color.
  • Then, add the chopped tuscan kale, roasted butternut squash, cooked farro, toasted pecans, vegan feta, diced red onion, and dried cranberries to the bowl of kale.
  • Drizzle with more balsamic maple dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust with extra dressing, salt, or pepper as needed.
  • Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.

Notes

Pearled farro takes about 15 minutes, semi-pearled 20-25 minutes, and whole farro up to 40 minutes. Rinse it, cook in salted boiling water until tender but slightly chewy, and start tasting at 15 minutes if you’re unsure which type you have. Trader Joe’s 10-minute farro is a huge time-saver.
Important Note about Salt: Not all salts are made equal and cannot be substituted 1:1. If you are substituting table salt for kosher salt, you will need to cut the amount called for in the recipe by at least half. 
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