This harvest salad has all the ingredients you want in a winter kale salad recipe! Packed with chopped kale, This healthy harvest salad recipe contains chopped kale, Roasted Kaboka Squash, Colorful pomegranate seeds and roasted pecans. With super delicious (and easy!) maple vinaigrette dressing, this is the perfect fall/winter salad. The filling is delicious and everyone likes this delicious salad.
Harvest Salad with Maple Vinaigrette Dressing
As the season changes, appetite will also change. We crave meals that are warm from the inside out. Although comfort dishes have their place, I like to balance everything with lighter foods. Input: This recipe for harvest salad with maple vinaigrette dressing. This is one of my favorite salads of all time. We spread the dressing on everything and eat this salad almost every week during the fall and winter months.
After a night Lots of delicious cookies, This kale salad saved the day. It is nutritious, rich, and delicious. The best part is that you can prepare the ingredients in advance. Put it at the last minute, a healthy meal! It is very suitable as a festive side dish or a vegetarian option on weekends. Full of colorful ingredients and my favorite seasoning, this is a delicious celebration of the harvest season.
Required ingredients
Kale: For this harvest salad recipe, I prefer to use dinosaur kale! Dinosaur kale—also known as lacinato kale or Tuscan kale—is not so tough. It will always be my first choice. No ribs and stems are needed. Remove those and chop it up. Don’t forget to massage your kale.
Cabocha Pumpkin: Kabocha pumpkin, also known as Japanese pumpkin, is very suitable for baking, filling, pureing, etc. It easily becomes one of my favorite pumpkins.We have a baking guide Kaboka Pumpkin, and also!
Extra virgin olive oil: Massage your kale!
walnut: Roasted pecans take this harvest salad to a new level. Hot and crispy, they are a must.
Pomegranate seeds: In the autumn season, pomegranate seeds add bursts of flavor. They are also rich in antioxidants! You can also replace it with dried cranberries!
Avocado oil: A neutral oil, it is the key to my delicious maple balsamic sauce.
Balsamic vinegar: This strong flavor of vinegar is the key to adding a mellow sour taste to the condiments.
Dijon mustard: This is my secret weapon for salad dressing. It can prevent oil and vinegar from separating.
Pure maple syrup: For a touch of sweetness!
sea salt: The best flavor enhancer.
How to customize your harvest salad
Customize it with other plugins/toppings:
- avocado
- pumpkin seeds
- Other choices of pumpkins: acorns, deli, walnuts, you name it!
- Other choices of nuts (roasted or not): almond slices, almond slices, walnuts, etc.
Add cheese: Cheese works well as a salty ingredient in this harvested salad. Put the cheese outside and make this harvest salad vegan and dairy-free.
- Sheep cheese
- Goat cheese
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Gorgonzola cheese
- Shaved Parmesan
- Mango cheese
Add protein:
The best kale
I recommend using dinosaur kale in this recipe. Also known as lacinato kale or Tuscan kale, in my opinion, dinosaur kale is not as tough as other kale! Especially the kale salad, it is always my first choice.
How do you soften kale to make a salad?
To prepare salad with kale, massage the kale with oil and lemon for 1-3 minutes. It’s super easy.
Can I change the kale to another green?
Yes, use any green leafy vegetables you like! Arugula will add pepper flavor, and spinach will make the salad more tender.
What is the taste of Kabocha Squash?
If you haven’t heard of kabocha, it is a delicious Japanese pumpkin. In terms of flavor, it is somewhere between sweet potato and pumpkin. It has a fluffy texture, similar to chestnuts. Kabocha pumpkin is rich in nutrients such as iron and vitamin C.
The easiest way to open pomegranates
Just like kabocha, pomegranate requires some preparation (unless you buy it from a grocery store to remove the seeds). I promise that those juicy, vibrant seeds are worth the effort. This is the best way to get them out of the shell:
- Fill a large bowl with cold water.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the pomegranate in half. Then it was divided into two halves. You will eventually get the dormitory.
- Dip a quarter of the piece into a bowl of water. Use your thumb to gently push the seeds out of the skin.
- Repeat for the remaining quarter.
Don’t want to use pomegranate seeds?
no problem! You can also completely replace them with dried cranberries or dried cherries! good to eat!
The best maple balsamic vinegar dressingG
I keep putting this salad dressing on everything. real. This is my first choice salad dressing. Everyone likes it, and it’s easy to make. You always want to put a can in the refrigerator.
Can I prepare this harvest salad in advance?
Yes! This kind of salad is very suitable for preparing meals.
Kale: You can massage the kale a few hours before consumption or even the day before. I try to be as close to the service as possible!
Cabocha Pumpkin: Bake the kaboca squash in advance. I like to serve it while it is hot, so put it back in the oven for 5-10 minutes before serving. However, it can also be eaten cold.
dressing: Make this a day or two in advance and store in the refrigerator. Season the salad before serving.
If you prefer to eat this salad containing protein (such as chicken), please continue to prepare protein. In this way, the meat can be heated by itself. Of course, for most salads, you will want to keep separate dressings. Add before serving.
In other words, pay attention to replacement. Ingredients like sliced avocado are not suitable for cooking. Keeping all these in mind, this salad can keep 3-5 in the refrigerator.
If you like this salad recipe, try some of our other popular salads:
Watch the video:
Harvest Salad with Maple Vinaigrette (Video)
This healthy harvest salad recipe includes chopped kale, roasted Kaboka squash, colorful pomegranate seeds, and roasted pecans. Toss with super simple maple balsamic sauce, this is the perfect autumn and winter salad.
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 40 minutes
- total time: 50 minutes
- yield: 4 1X
- category: salad
- delicacy: fall
salad:
- 1 Big Capoca Pumpkin
- 1——2 Tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 4 cups Dinosaur kale, chopped
- 1 cup Raw pecans, roasted
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate seeds
Maple Balsamic Sauce:
- 1/3 cup Avocado oil
- 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Pure maple syrup
- A pinch of salt
- To roast pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the kabocha squash into wedges or cubes, add oil, salt and cinnamon and stir. Place a lined baking pan. Roast the pumpkin for about 20 minutes, or until the fork is soft. Take it out and set aside.
- Make the seasoning: Combine all seasoning ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If it is too thick, add more oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, or a little water.
- Put the pecans on the baking tray and put them in the oven for 5-7 minutes, toss them halfway, taking care to avoid burning.
- Massage the kale with olive oil for 1-2 minutes.
- Assemble your harvest salad: Add kale, pumpkin, pomegranate seeds, and roasted pecans to a large bowl. Put the dressing on top and stir to mix.
Nutrition
- Serving size: 4
- Calories: 250
- sugar: 23 grams
- sodium: 61 mg
- fat: 6.4-
- Saturated fat: 1.1g
- carbohydrate: 44 grams
- fiber: 8.7-
- protein: 6.5g
- cholesterol: 0 mg
