Tender baby kale leaves, crispy quinoa, roasted squash, and toasted nuts are tossed in a sweet and tangy orange vinaigrette dressing. This baby kale salad is a great side to serve during the fall and winter seasons.
When the weather starts to cool down, we naturally gravitate toward more warming foods. When it comes to salads, it's nice to incorporate some cooked elements with raw ingredients. It can be a delicate dance though because you don't want the heaviness of the roasted vegetables to weigh down the salad.
This is why delicata squash works so beautifully. Its soft texture and pop of color pair nicely against the fresh, green leaves.
Ingredients
Baby kale - these leaves are much more tender than large (mature) kale leaves, so there's no need to massage them first.
Delicata squash - has a creamy texture that's subtly sweet when roasted with a thin, edible skin that you don't need to peel.
Quinoa - dry toasted in a pan gives it a nutty taste and crunchy texture.
Roasted walnuts - add another dimension of flavor and texture.
Orange vinaigrette - a combination of orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper.
How to Make Baby Kale Salad
Prep the squash. Cut a thin layer off each end of the squash and then stand it up on one of the flat edges before slicing it in half. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and cut each half into roughly ⅛ to ¼-inch slices. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, arrange in a single layer on a lined baking sheet, and roast for 25 minutes.
Make the salad dressing. Whisk all the ingredients for the orange vinaigrette in a bowl until well combined and set it aside.
Toast the quinoa. Add the quinoa to a bowl of water and set it aside for a few minutes to soak and reduce some of its bitterness. Drain the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and thoroughly rinse then add the wet quinoa to a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Use a whisk to move the quinoa around in the pan until it dries. After a few minutes, it'll start to make popping noises, smell nutty, and turn golden brown. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Assemble the salad. Add the baby kale, roasted squash, and walnuts to a bowl. Toss with the dressing and sprinkle the toasted quinoa on top just before serving. This prevents the salad from getting soggy and also helps the quinoa cling to the dressing instead of falling to the bottom.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this baby kale salad using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No baby kale? – massaged kale, baby spinach, or arugula are great options.
- No delicata squash? - thinly sliced orange sweet potatoes or butternut squash (you will want to peel it) would also work.
- No quinoa? - you could also use dukkah, roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, or just leave it out.
- No walnuts? - almonds, cashews, pecans, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, just about anything works.
- No white wine vinegar? - champagne vinegar is delicious.
- Make it vegan - swap out the honey for maple syrup.
More Salad Recipes
Baby Kale Salad With Roasted Squash
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 pound delicata squash
- olive oil about 1 tablespoon for roasting the squash
- kosher salt & pepper
- 5 ounces baby kale
- ⅓ roasted walnuts
- ¼ cup quinoa
Orange Vinaigrette
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup orange juice + zest of 1 medium orange
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prep the squash. Cut a thin layer off each end of the delicata squash and then stand it up on one of the flat edges before slicing it in half. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and cut each half into roughly ⅛ to ¼-inch slices. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then arrange them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes until fork tender.
- Make the salad dressing. Whisk all the ingredients for the orange vinaigrette in a bowl until well combined and set it aside.
- Toast the quinoa. Add the quinoa to a bowl of water and set it aside for a few minutes to soak and reduce some of its bitterness. Drain the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and thoroughly rinse then add the wet quinoa to a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Use a whisk to move the quinoa around in the pan until it dries. After a few minutes, it'll start to make popping noises, smell nutty, and turn golden brown. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Assemble the salad. Add the baby kale, roasted squash, and walnuts to a bowl. Toss with the dressing and sprinkle the toasted quinoa on top just before serving. This prevents the salad from getting soggy and also helps the quinoa cling to the dressing instead of falling to the bottom.
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