Butternut Squash Kale and Spinach Salad

This roasted butternut squash kale and spinach salad with pomegranate, feta, and a maple dijon dressing is so pretty and and perfect for fall. (gluten-free, vegetarian)

I know November is the month of Thanksgiving, and everybody is talking turkey, dressing, and gravy. Which is all fine and good. Actually, it's great! I love Thanksgiving and look forward to it every year. It's the one time we get to spend 10 hours cooking a giant meal that we only spend 10 minutes actually eating. And then another 10 hours feeling miserably full. But it's still awesome. Because of all the memories. And the food. And the pie.

But you still have to eat something that is probably not turkey and dressing for the remaining 29 days of November. (Or 26 if you are like me and eat Thanksgiving leftovers for 3 days after Thanksgiving.) That's where this butternut squash kale and spinach salad comes in!

Why You'll Love This Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Spinach Salad

One of the things I love the most about this salad is how beautiful it is! Filled with gorgeous jewel tones of orange, red, purple, and green, it's pretty enough to grace your Thanksgiving table, but also perfect for everyday dinners. The sweet and savory mix of flavors and so many contrasting textures make this salad anything but boring. And it's a great way to use the whole butternut squash - seeds and all!

How To Make This Gorgeous Fall Salad

1. Peel and cube the butternut squash, saving the seeds. Toss the squash cubes with oil, salt and pepper and roast on a baking sheet in a single layer, stirring halfway through. 
2. Clean the seeds, then toss with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for about 10-20 minutes, stirring halfway through. 
3. Chop the kale and massage with a bit of olive oil.
4. Place the kale in a large bowl with the spinach. Add the Roasted squash, seeds, pomegranate, onions and feta. Drizzle with dressing to taste, toss gently, and serve!

Tips for Making The Most Delicious Butternut Squash Kale Salad

• Don't skip massaging the kale. It takes the kale from hard and unpleasant to chew, to tender and delicious! Just drizzle with oil and gently rub with your hands until glistening and softened.
• To make this salad super easy to make, use leftover butternut squash and pomegranate arils that are already out of the fruit.
• If you plan to make this salad ahead, don't dress it until you're ready to serve to avoid soggy spinach.

Recipe Variations and Ingredient Substitutions

• If you aren't using a whole butternut squash, you can substitute pepitas for the squash seeds. Toast them in the oven with the squash for 5-10 minutes. 
• You can substitute roasted sweet potatoes for butternut squash.
• You can use all kale or all spinach instead of a mix, if that's what you have. 
• If you can't find pomegranate arils, you can throw in some dried cranberries to still get a pretty red color and some sweetness.
• This salad is also delicious with goat cheese in place of the feta. 

More Fall and Winter Salads You'll Love

• Fall Apple Pear, Sorghum Kale Salad
• Fall Harvest Warm Kale Salad
• Roasted Delicata Squash and Wild Rice Salad
• Fig Arugula Salad
• Apple Sage Farro Salad
• Shredded Beet Kale Salad
• Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Salad

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Fall Butternut Squash Salad

Print Recipe

This roasted butternut squash kale and spinach salad with pomegranate, feta, and a maple dijon dressing is so pretty and and perfect for fall. (gluten-free, vegetarian)

• Author: Kaleigh
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: About 8 cups 1x
• Category: salad, side dish
• Method: roasted
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ½ medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• Seeds from squash, rinsed and dried
• 3 tsp olive oil, divided
• coarse sea salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 cups kale, thinly sliced
• 4 cups baby spinach
• ¼ cup pomegranate arils
• ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles
• Maple Dijon Dressing, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
2. Toss butternut squash cubes in 2 teaspoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread evenly over baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through, stirring halfway through.
3. Turn oven down to 350° F. Using the same baking sheet, toss butternut squash seeds in ½ teaspoon oil, salt and pepper. Roast until golden, about 10-15 minutes, stirring halfway through.
4. Place kale in a large bowl and drizzle with remaining ½ teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Use your hands to gently massage the kale until softened and shiny, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add spinach, onion, pomegranate, feta, butternut squash, and toasted seeds to the bowl. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing. Toss lightly to combine and serve.

Notes

• See above for ingredient substitutions.
• Don't skip massaging the kale. It takes the kale from hard and unpleasant to chew, to tender and delicious! Just drizzle with oil and gently rub with your hands until glistening and softened.
• To make this salad super easy to make, use leftover butternut squash and pomegranate arils that are already out of the fruit.
• If you plan to make this salad ahead, don't dress it until you're ready to serve to avoid soggy spinach.

Keywords: butternut squash kale salad, kale spinach salad with butternut squash and pomegranate, fall roasted butternut squash salad