Fall Harvest Salad Recipe

This fall harvest salad recipe is made with massaged kale as the bottom and topped with roasted butternut squash, crumbled blue cheese, sliced honeycrisp apple, and crunchy spiced pecans. A maple and apple cider dressing brings all of it collectively.

The primary day of fall for me is the primary day there’s a crisp within the air

I completely love autumn climate – the drop in humidity, the shadows that appear to stretch for miles off of crops nonetheless filled with leaves. Chilly mornings and heat afternoons. And naturally all the autumn flavors that come round this time of yr!

It is a fall harvest salad I’ve made over and over. The flavors are high notch: warming spices, roasted greens, gourds, and hearty kale.

This fall harvest salad is a bit heartier than summery ones due to a lot of satisfying fiber from chopped kale and roasted butternut squash. This salad just isn’t solely healthful and nutritious however filling and satisfying as nicely. The distinction in flavors between cinnamon-dusted squash, tart blue cheese, and crunchy candy pecans is heaven on earth.

The kale will get massaged in a easy maple syrup and apple cider vinegar salad dressing. Only a trace of garlic taste goes a good distance.

This fall salad recipe makes a colourful addition in your vacation desk as nicely, whether or not its the primary course at a women lunch (add some grilled hen on high) or as a aspect dish to a Thanksgiving desk. I wish to hold it considerably disassembled within the fridge so I can assemble it rapidly at dinner time, whether or not that’s to get pleasure from slightly on a regular basis for lunch or as a served dish.

Salad Elements

Butternut Squash – both one massive entire squash or a bath of pre-cubed squash from the grocery retailer

Kale – a big head, 2 mediums, or a bag of pre-chopped to avoid wasting time

Honeycrisp Apple – my favourite however use no matter you want!

Spiced Pecans – you can too use plain and toast them. Or one other form of spiced nut.

Blue Cheese – Bleu d’auvergne is my favourite selection. Purchase it in a block and crumbled it your self. Recently I’ve been on an enormous gorgonzola kick, so that may be a nice possibility as nicely.

Cinnamon – Only a dusting for the squash to roast in.

Maple + Apple Cider French dressing

2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup further virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
Salt + pepper

Substitutions

Butternut is my favourite squash to roast! Acorn squash would work too. You too can use roasted candy potato and even roasted pumpkin (together with its pumpkin seeds, roasted and spiced) in the event you don’t love butternut squash.
You should utilize combined greens in the event you’d favor and toss them with the dressing at serving time.
Blue cheese not your factor? Feta cheese or goat cheese would work too.
Sub sliced pear for apple.
Add pomegranate seeds for extra juicy texture.
As a substitute of pecans, you should utilize toasted walnuts, slivered almonds, or marcona almonds.

Directions

Step 1: Roast Squash

Preheat the oven to 400 levels. If utilizing a complete butternut, wash the squash, peel off the pores and skin, slice it in half, de-seed, and chop into cubes.

Unfold cubes of butternut squash out on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on cinnamon. Therapeutic massage butternut till nicely coated and bake for 30-35 minutes, till fork tender and browning on the edges.

Step 2: Prep Elements

Whereas squash bakes, wash and dry kale and take away any stems. Chop the kale into small items. Slice the honeycrisp apple thinly. Crumble blue cheese with a fork or clear fingers.

Step 3: Make The Dressing

To make the dressing, grate or press garlic clove (use as little or as a lot as you want, relying in your palate) and mix all components in a jar and whisk or shake. I like utilizing a microplane zester to make sure the garlic is sort of a paste. Keep in mind: slightly goes a good distance!

Step 4: Therapeutic massage Kale and Marinate

Therapeutic massage kale with dressing utilizing clear palms till kale is brilliant inexperienced and softens – longer than you assume! Permit to take a seat and marinate a minimum of 20 minutes, however up to a couple hours. You could want so as to add extra dressing at serving time because the kale will soak up a few of the dressing because it sinks in.

Step 5: Assemble Salad

Add massaged and dressed kale to a big bowl and toss with roasted butternut squash, apple, pecans, and blue cheese. Add any remaining dressing. I maintain any proteins to serve on high quite than mixing in, however in the event you’re utilizing one thing like hen cubes, go forward and blend it in!

Step 6: Serve

Recipe Notes

Shortcuts: Save your self a bunch of steps if you could find pre-cubed butternut squash for a very good worth on the grocery retailer.

Add-ons: Add a grain like wheatberries, quinoa, or bulgur for further protein and fiber. Pomegranate arils or dried cranberries would add a bit extra sweetness.

Make-ahead: It is a nice make-ahead salad as a result of massaged kale will get higher with time! If you understand you’ll be making it nicely upfront, reserve slightly dressing so as to add at serving time since lots of it will get soaked into the kale within the fridge. Additionally, go away pecans out and add on the final minute to maintain them from getting soggy.

Serve: Function a aspect, a lightweight lunch or as a base for a meal salad with protein of your selection on high. Grilled hen or leftover vacation turkey could be perfect. I additionally like it with salmon!

Retailer: Retailer in an air-tight container within the fridge for 2-3 days.