Pioneer Woman baby kale salad with acorn squash is a hearty fall side tossed with roasted squash, goat cheese, dried cranberries and crunchy pepitas. Since it comes together in about an hour with just 15 minutes of prep, it fits a Thanksgiving table, fall potluck or cozy Sunday dinner.
The roasted squash is what makes or breaks this salad, so you need to coat it in brown sugar butter halfway through baking. If you skip that step, the wedges dry out and lose the caramelized crust that balances the tangy vinaigrette.
Most kale salads skip a warm element, but this one piles roasted acorn squash right on top so the greens wilt just slightly. Because of the rosemary glaze, the squash also brings a savory-sweet layer you won’t find in a standard vinaigrette salad.
Pioneer Woman Baby Kale Salad with Acorn Squash
Course: SaladCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes35
minutes288
kcalTender roasted acorn squash wedges glazed with rosemary butter sit on a bed of baby kale, then get tossed in a tangy shallot vinaigrette with dried cranberries, crumbled goat cheese and crunchy pepitas.
Ingredients
2 small acorn squash, halved, seeded, and cut into 12 wedges each
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 tbsp. salted butter, at room temperature
3 tbsp. plus one teaspoon packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 small shallot, halved and thinly sliced
Black pepper, to taste
1 8-ounce container baby kale
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. crumbled goat cheese
1/3 c. roasted salted pepitas
Directions
- Roast the squash: Preheat the oven to 375° and toss the acorn squash on a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1½ teaspoons salt. Once you arrange the wedges cut-side down, bake for 15 minutes while you prep the butter mixture.
- Glaze and finish roasting: Mash the butter, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and rosemary in a small bowl, then smear half on the squash after the first 15 minutes. After that, roast for 10 more minutes, then flip and brush with the remaining butter before baking until tender, 5 to 10 minutes more. Once done, brush with any pan juices and let the squash cool for 10 minutes so it holds its shape.
- Make the vinaigrette: Combine the vinegar, shallot, remaining 1 teaspoon each salt and brown sugar, and a few grinds of pepper in a serving bowl. Once it sits about 5 minutes and the shallot softens, whisk in the remaining ¼ cup olive oil.
- Assemble the salad: Add the roasted squash to the serving bowl, leaving the excess juices on the pan. Then toss in the kale, dried cranberries, goat cheese and pepitas, coating everything so the warm squash just starts to wilt the greens.
FAQs
Can I use regular kale instead of baby kale?
Regular kale works fine, but you should strip the stems and slice the leaves into thin ribbons so they’re tender enough to eat raw. Because baby kale is naturally mild and soft, using mature kale will give the salad a slightly more bitter, chewier bite.
How long does this salad keep in the fridge?
The dressed salad stays good for about a day, though the kale will soften quite a bit as it sits. But if you keep the vinaigrette, squash and toppings separate, you can toss a fresh bowl for up to 3 days.
Can I roast the squash ahead of time?
You can roast it up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature before tossing. Because warm squash wilts the kale just right, cold squash straight from the fridge won’t give you that same effect.
What if I don’t have a baking sheet big enough for all the squash?
Use two smaller baking sheets and rotate them halfway through so both get even heat. Otherwise, crowding the squash onto one pan traps steam and prevents those caramelized edges you want.
Why did my squash turn out mushy?
Mushy squash usually happens when the wedges sit in the oven past the 35-minute mark, so start checking at 30 minutes. Along with timing, cutting each wedge about ¾ inch thick helps too, because thinner slices cook through too fast and lose their structure.
