• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

What Should I Make For... logo

  • About Cathy Roma
    • FAQ
    • News and Press
  • Recipes
  • Menus
  • How To
    • How to Cook with Cast Iron
    • How to Make Homemade Gnocchi
    • Homemade Ginger Beer
    • Homemade Turkey Stock
    • The Ultimate Thanksgiving Menu
    • 2019 Holiday Gift Guide – Stocking Stuffers for Foodies
  • Videos
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
Home » Blog » Salad Recipes » Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad

Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad

Cathy Roma Published: Oct 23, 2015

64 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Reddit
  • Yummly

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more information.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Roasted butternut squash and kale are tossed with dried cranberries, crispy prosciutto, shaved Parmesan and lemon vinaigrette in this hearty fall salad.

So, have we hit kale overload yet? Has it gone the way of the pumpkin latte or avocado toast for you? Well, here’s hoping you have room for one more kale salad in your repertoire. This one screams fall. It’s loaded with roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, shaved Parmesan and even some crispy prosciutto bits of deliciousness. I toss it with a zingy lemon vinaigrette for just the right balance of sweet, salty and tangy.

When I was growing up, salad meant iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. If you were really adventurous, you could go with Romaine. Or throw in some croutons. You crazy nut. Salad was never considered an entrée, you didn’t put a lovely piece of grilled fish or chicken on top and call it dinner. You served it on a little plate next to your proper meal and sighed as you stabbed at it with your salad fork. Bo-ring.

But now the market is packed with greens; gorgeous, dark, leafy greens full of actual vitamins and minerals and antioxidants and FLAVOR. And combine these with the myriad of vegetables, fruit, nuts or cheese available and you’ve got an elevated dish that deserves to sit front and center on the dinner table.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad

Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad

I’ve long been a fan of baby spinach, peppery arugula and delicate mache. I took a little longer to warm kale. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that I considered the main purpose of kale a way to show off the finer cuts of meat in my butcher’s display case. But in my smoothie? In my Caesar salad? Hmmmm…

Then of course, the kale salad was suddenly everywhere, from the fine dining establishments of celebrity chefs to your local diner or deli. But not all kale or kale salads are created equal. Curly kale (that one you’ve seen garnishing the veggies on the salad bar but not an actual choice in the salad bar) is not my personal favorite for salads. Kale chips, yes; braised kale, sure; raw and tossed with dressing? Not for me. I don’t enjoy the curly texture in my salad or the bitter bite. My choice? Lacinato kale (aka Tuscan kale, dinosaur kale, black kale…this baby has more aliases than Micheal Caine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels).

Perfect for salads, lacinato kale sports a bumpy, dark, almost bluish-green leaf that has a slightly sweet, earthy, some say even nutty flavor compared to the curly variety. When prepping the kale, be sure to remove the stem that runs down the center of the leaf as it is tough, fibrous and really unpalatable. Then, chiffonade the leaves for the salad. Sexy when I get all French and cheffy on you right? Chiffonade translates simply to “little ribbons” and it’s a cutting technique well suited to kale leaves. Remove that pesky stem, stack the leaves, roll tightly from end to tip and slice thinly. Walla! Kale ribbons!

Another plus to this hearty green is it holds up well after it’s dressed. In fact, I Iike it best when it’s been dressed for at least 30 minutes prior to eating. Give it a good toss with the dressing, let stand (can be hours actually) and when you’re ready to serve, throw in the remaining ingredients and another splash of vinigarette. Yum.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad

This salad doesn’t even seem a distant cousin to the iceberg salads of my youth. (Don’t get me wrong, I still dig a wedge of iceberg, smothered in blue cheese and bacon, but that’s another animal entirely.) This salad is all grown up and substantial enough to be a light main course or a great way to start off an autumn meal.

5 from 1 vote
Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad
Print
Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
Roasted butternut squash and kale are tossed with dried cranberries, crispy prosciutto, shaved Parmesan and lemon vinaigrette in this hearty fall salad.
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For...
Ingredients
  • 1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeds scraped out and cubed
  • 3 Tbsp chives minced
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/8 pound prosciutto
  • 2 bunches Lacinato Tuscan kale
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • Wedge of Parmesan cheese for shaving
  • Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Lemon Vinaigrette
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with nonstick foil or parchment paper.
  2. Toss the cubed squash with one tablespoon chives and and two tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Roast squash for 20-25 minutes, or until softened and slightly browned. Remove and let stand at room temperature.
  4. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and lay prosciutto slices on a parchment lined sheet tray, do not overlap.
  5. Roast until prosciutto begins to crisp, being careful not to burn, about 15 minutes.
  6. Remove and let cool, then crumble into pieces and set aside.
  7. While squash is roasting, wash kale thoroughly and pat dry.
  8. Remove the stems from the center of the kale leaves. I fold the leaf in half and slice the stem away from the side.
  9. Stack three or four leaves at a time, roll from stem to tip and slice into ribbons and place in a large bowl.
  10. For the vinaigrette, combine the honey, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice and zest in a mini food processor or in a small bowl. If using the food processor, blend well, then add the olive oil and blend until emulsified. Otherwise whisk ingredients together, then add the oil in a steady stream while continuously whisking to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.
  11. Toss the kale well with enough vinaigrette to coat, a sprinkling of salt and let stand for at least 30 minutes or longer. Reserve the remaining vinaigrette.
  12. To serve, toss kale, squash, chives and cranberries. Top with shaved Parmesan (use a vegetable peeler to shave the wedge of cheese) and crispy prosciutto. Add more dressing if desired.

 

1

Recipe, Salad Recipes, Veggie Recipes butternut squash, cranberries, fall, kale, lacinato kale, lunch, parmesan, salad, side dish, tuscan kale

About Cathy Roma

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

★ Made this recipe? Make sure to give it a rating below!

Subscribe now to receive my exclusive guide of How to Stock a Pantry delivered straight to your inbox!


Follow What Should I Make For on Instagram and show me what you’re making for…!
Be sure to use the hashtag #whatshouldimakefor
Previous Post: « Stinky Sliders (aka Chase Utley Sliders)
Next Post: Spooky Halloween Breakfast »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tessa says

    November 2, 2015 at 6:37 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner last Thursday night — so delish. I didn’t have dried cranberries but it was still so good without. Thanks Cathy!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 2, 2015 at 8:35 pm

      so glad you liked it tessa!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

HEY THERE, I’M CATHY.

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

Learn More about Cathy

Subscribe now to receive my exclusive guide of How to Stock a Pantry delivered straight to your inbox!

Join the What Should I Make For... Community to learn what to cook to when to achieve a happier, more balanced life.

Trending Posts

  • Close up shot of a Mexican Mule served in a copper mug garnished with lime and jalapeño slices placed on a wood board with another mug in the background. Mexican Mule
  • Close up of breaded chicken breasts cooking in a frying pan. Easy Breaded Chicken Breasts
  • A pot of One Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta stirred with wooden spoon. One Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta
  • Overhead shot of Pan Seared Lamb Chops with garlic and thyme scattered around. Pan Seared Lamb Chops
  • Close up of creamy farfalle pasta tossed with mushrooms and sausage in a creamy white wine sauce served in a white bowl. Creamy Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms

Featured In...

Featured in Better Homes and Gardens Featured in Cosmopolitan Featured in Elle Decor Featured in Shape Featured in Country Living Featured in Domino

Copywrite © 2020 • What Should I Make For... Privacy Policy • Terms of Service