Kale Salad with Cranberries and Butternut Squash

Roasted butternut squash is paired with this kale salad with cranberries, apples, and walnuts for a colorful autumnal plate that can stand alone as a main dish or a side at your Thanksgiving or Christmas meal.

I have to admit that I created this vegan salad recipe with myself in mind. I am a huge fan of kale. Some people think I’m crazy but I legitimately get cravings for kale salads.

There’s an amazing whole food grocery store that is between my day job and home. Every once and awhile when my cravings for kale are too strong to ignore and I don’t have a bunch of it at home I stop by the grocery store to get a helping of kale at their salad bar.

While sitting in the small cafe at the grocery store and enjoying my kale and a moment of peace and quiet this Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Cranberries was created.

How do I get the rest of my family on board with kale?

I have been thinking for quite some time what I’m going to make for Thanksgiving this year.

In all honesty I haven’t made a big deal of Thanksgiving in years. My mom used to make a big turkey and all the fixings, and since being a vegetarian at the age of 15 I ate the sides and was okay with that.

After she passed away Thanksgiving wasn’t the same. My husband and I usually spent Thanksgiving alone and made a tradition of going to Whole Foods and picking out our favorite things.

But now that we have our two boys I want to bring back the tradition of a big Thanksgiving meal. The most rewarding part of preparing plant-based recipes is sharing them with my non-vegan plant-based friends and family showing them how satisfying and delicious plant-based meals can be.

How do you store kale salad?

You can prep the kale well in advance of making the salad. Kale is such a tough green that it doesn’t wilt as easily. To prepare your kale you’ll need to wash, stem, and tear the kale into bite sized pieces. Wrap the kale in paper towel and store in an airtight container.

If you want to prepare your salad and store the rest for later leave the dressing off of the kale to prevent wilting. Then dress and massage kale prior to serving.

How long does kale salad last in the fridge?

Kale that is washed, stemmed, and shredded can last for up to three days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. If you’ve already dressed and massaged your kale I recommend eating it within the next day or wait until you’re ready to serve the salad before dressing.

Can you eat kale raw like lettuce?

You can eat kale raw like lettuce but I recommend properly preparing your kale prior to consuming it since it can be very tough to eat. When you know how to prep your kale for your salad it is much easier to consume. Many people don’t like kale because it’s been served to them raw without proper preparation.

How do you make kale less tough?

In order to properly prepare you kale and make it less tough you need to massage your kale. I know, that sounds weird, but trust me, it’s easy, takes little time, and it’s worth it in the end.

How do you massage kale?

Prepare your kale by washing, stemming and cutting it into shreds. Then pour your dressing over the kale. Using your hands squeeze and rub the kale for 3-5 minutes. You’ll notice it start to darken and soften. It will turn your tough kale into a perfect green ready to enjoy salad!

What kind of kale is best for salads?

There’s many different types of kale including curly, dinosaur, red, baby, and ornamental. In this recipe I used 1 bunch of curly kale. Curly kale is the most popular kale you’ll see int the grocery store. Curly kale and dinosaur kale (which has flatter leaves is great for salads, as well as baby kale.

A Thanksgiving Side Dish: Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Cranberries

My main dish for Thanksgiving is my Vegan Potato and Cauliflower Casserole. This Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale and Cranberry Salad has all the flavors of autumn that bring back the joyous memories of Thanksgivings shared with my mom.

The tart cranberries, crunchy green apples, meaty walnuts, and sweet butternut squash with an oil free maple dijon vinaigrette and massaged kale is just the thing to bring my kale doubters over to the other side!

Ingredients you’ll need to make this Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad with Cranberries:

• 1 bunch of curly or dinosaur kale
• 1 butternut squash
• 1 Granny Smith apple
• Dried Sugar-Free Cranberries
• Walnuts
• Salt and Pepper

For the Maple Dijon Dressing:

• Vegetable Stock
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Dijon Mustard
• Pure Maple Syrup
• Thyme
• Pepper

Tools and equipment you’ll need:

• Sheet pan for roasting butternut squash
• Large Salad bowl
• A good knife for chopping the butternut squash
• Cutting board

This super simple salad doesn’t need a lot of complicated equipment. A good sheet pan, a large salad bowl, and a sharp knife for cutting the butternut squash.

How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Cranberries – Step by Step

Prepare Butternut Squash

Preheat oven to 400 F. Chop butternut squash into one inch pieces. You can use pre-cut butternut squash to save you time, but if you have a whole butternut squash here are some tricks to preparing it for roasting.

• Pierce the butternut squash a few times with a fork and microwave for two minutes to help soften it.
• Cut the bottom and the top off the butternut squash.
• Cut the squash in half at the place where the squash begins to widen.
• Set one half of the the squash on your cutting board so that it lays flat. Using a sharp knife or peeler starting at the top and cutting downward remove the peel of the squash.
• Remove all the peel and the green lines that appear as these are places on the squash that are tough to eat.
• After you’ve peeled both halves, cut the wide half in half and remove the seeds with a spoon.
• Cut the peeled and seeded squash into one inch pieces.

Evenly spread the squash on a sheet pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping once.

Prepare Kale and Vinaigrette

• While squash is roasting, wash, de-stem, and finely chop 1 bunch of kale.
• Whisk together vegetable broth, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, thyme and pepper.
• Pour dressing over the kale. Massage the kale by squeezing and rubbing the kale for 3-5 minutes or until the kale darkens and softens.

Assemble the Kale Salad with Cranberries and Butternut Squash

• Chop green apple and walnuts into bite sized pieces.
• Place massaged and dressed kale into the bottom of your salad bowl. Top with roasted butternut squash, cranberries, apple, and walnuts. Serve immediately.

Check Out These Other Vegan Thanksgiving Favorites!

• Vegan Potato Casserole
• Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

If you’ve tried my Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Cranberries recipe, please rate it and let me know how it turned out. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more plant-based family recipes your whole family will enjoy!