Fall Harvest Salad with Butternut Squash

As the leaves start to change and the nights get cooler, welcome this fall harvest salad with butternut squash to your lunch or dinner menu. It is packed with all the tastes and flavors of fall. I guarantee it’s a delicious meal that will leave you satisfied for hours. Naturally gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian/vegan friendly.

I truly want every salad I make to be restaurant quality. Seriously….don’t restaurant salads tastes so much better? Here is my attempt at doing that with this fall harvest salad.

I am a huge fan of beefing up salads so that they are both nourishing and satisfying. No punny wilted side salad over here. I want them to be colorful, flavorful and hearty.

This fall harvest salad with butternut squash is just that. Crunchy kale topped with warm butternut squash combined with crisp apples, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, chickpeas, fall spices wrapped in a creamy vinaigrette dressing. There maybe several ingredients but I promise you it will be worth it.

Did I mention this salad is gluten and dairy free? It would make a lovely addition to your Thanksgiving feast as the vibrant fall colors and flavors abound. Or be your new go to salad year round.

If you enjoy salads you might want to give these a try to Bacon, Avocado and Egg Salad and Tomato, Cucumber and Avocado Salad with Feta Cheese.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS SALAD

• Excellent Source of Plant Protein: Chickpeas combined with the quinoa are a wonderful source of plant protein and bonus also a good fiber source too.

• Very Filing: This salad is loaded with all things fall. The butternut squash, kale, apples, pumpkin seeds, nutmeg and cinnamon not to mention the quinoa and chickpeas will satisfy your belly. This truly is a salad that lives up to the hype.

• Homemade Vinaigrette Dressing: I am a huge fan of making your own dressing as it’s easy, minimal pantry ingredients and no processed or artificial ingredients. You also can make the desired amount for a serving without any extra going to waste.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SALAD

• Quinoa
• Kale
• Butternut Squash
• Chickpeas
• Apples
• Olive Oil
• Maple Syrup
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Spices

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DRESSING

• Cashews
• Olive Oil
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Dijon Mustard
• Salt
• Shallots

HOW TO MAKE

Steps 1 & 2: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Place cashews in bowl of water to soften. Set aside.

Steps 3 & 4: Cook quinoa, set aside. Cut up apples and butternut squash. Drain and rinse chickpeas.

Step 5: Add chickpeas, apples and squash to baking sheet. Top with maple syrup and spices. Bake for 25 minutes.

Step 6: Place kale on another baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Add kale to oven for the last 8 minutes.

Step 7: To make the dressing, dice the shallots and drain the cashews.

Step 8: Add all dressing ingredients to high powered blender for 2 minutes until liquid consistency is achieved.

Step 9: Combine all ingredients to make salad bowl. Garnish with pumpkin seeds.

SUBSTITUTIONS + VARIATIONS

• Kale: If you don’t have kale, arugula is the next best option as it contains an earthy flavor as well as has slight bitterness.

• Chickpeas: White beans also known as Great White Northern Beans sub in nicely if you don’t have chickpeas on hand. They don’t have as much protein per serving but taste very similar.

• Butternut Squash: Diced pumpkin or sweet potatoes can be a great alternative.

• Quinoa: Wild rice or cooked cauliflower rice can be used in place, if desired. This cilantro-lime cauliflower rice would work well.

• Apples: I love a good honeycrisp apple but a diced up pear works perfectly fine too.

EXPERT TIPS

• Make sure to massage the olive oil into the kale before placing in the oven. This will make sure the kale does not get too crispy but just crispy enough.

• Depending on oven temperature, the butternut squash may need to be cooked a bit longer if you like them softer.

• Chickpeas from a can (drained) are best used but you could use dried chickpeas too. Just cook them as you normally do before serving.

• Apply the dressing right before serving or the salad will be soggy.

• You can make the dressing in a high powered blender or food processor.

• I love the honeycrisp apple variety with this salad.

• Top the salad with pumpkin seeds or pistachios.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.) Can this salad be made ahead? Yes, you can cook all the ingredients then keep them in airtight containers until you are ready to combine. You can all prepare the dressing as well and keep it in an airtight container. If you blend the ingredients beforehand, the salad will get soggy.

2.) Can I add additional protein? Yes, grilled chicken or tofu would taste very well with this salad.

3.) Can this salad be served warm or cold? It can be served either way especially if you prepared ahead of time. I love all the ingredients right after they are cooked and warmed but this salad tastes well served cold too especially as leftovers.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT

• How to Store: Place the kale in an airtight container separate from the other ingredients. Place remaining ingredients in there own containers. This helps the kale from getting too soggy. To store dressing, place in a glass jar such as a mason jar with lid. Everything can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

• How to Reheat: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredient except the kale on a baking sheet. Place in oven for 5-7 minutes to give ingredients time to warm. Take out, place on top of kale and top with remaining dressing.

I hope you give this Fall Harvest Salad with Butternut Squash a try! If you do give this recipe a try, please let me know!

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