Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Toasted Breadcrumbs

Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with hearty kale as a base has lots of sweet and savory notes with toasted breadcrumbs and sweet roasted squash. A honey-lemon dressing ties it all together.

Well hello, fall.

We went on a quick getaway to Asheville, NC this week.  There are hints of color in the trees and the locally brewed pumpkin beer is out in full force.  (I'm doing my best to sample all of it.)  It's that kind of fickle early fall weather where you head out for the evening in shorts and need a jacket as soon as the sun sets.

Farmers markets have one foot in both seasons which means that at one we passed through yesterday (see photo at the bottom of the post) there were plump, perfect peaches sitting alongside every sort of squash.  Farmers market heaven, in my opinion.

And yesterday was the equinox.  The official shift into a new season.  And therefore the official justification to drink all the pumpkin spice lattes (as. if. I hadn't had more than my share already) and put squash in everything.

This Butternut Squash and Kale Salad is a bit of an ode to my family in Kansas.  In a matter of weeks my sister requested one and two people asked if I had a go-to recipe.  This, friends, is my new go-to recipe.  A sweet, tart Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette balances (I'd say almost completely hides) the bitterness of the kale. The butternut squash gets all tender and sweet in the oven, as squash does.  And toasted breadcrumbs add a savory crunch throughout the whole thing.

It's the kind of salad that might even convert those who aren't sold on this trendy green.

Special thanks to my sister Veronica, official salad-bowl-holder for this post!

More Salad Recipes

• Thai Beef Salad (Nam Tok)
• Curried Leftover Turkey Salad
• Apple, Brie and Pecan Salad
• Watermelon, Feta and Arugula Salad
• Bacon, Corn and Avocado Salad
• Thai Minced Chicken Salad (Laab / Larb Gai)
• Thai Pomelo Salad (Yam Som O)
• Slow Cooker Carnitas Taco Salad
• Sesame Ginger Kale Salad
• Spring Cobb Salad with Creamy Herb Yogurt Dressing

Favorite Tools

• Global Chef’s Knife - You only really need one chef's knife to use for everything and this is my favorite. I've had it for 7+ years. It's incredibly lightweight. If you, like me, are under 5'4", the 6-inch is a perfect size (if you're taller, get the 8-inch).
• Half Sheet Pan - The perfect size pan for everything from roasting vegetables to baking cookies.
• Mixing Bowls

• Half Sheet Pan
• Calphalon Nonstick Frying Pan 
• Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls 
• Whisk
• Box Grater
• Peeler
• Salad Bowl
• Salad Tongs

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Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Toasted Breadcrumbs Recipe

This simple, fresh salad with hearty kale as a base has lots of sweet and savory notes with toasted breadcrumbs and sweet roasted squash. A honey-lemon dressing ties it all together.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Salad

Keyword: butternut squash, fall recipe, fall salad, kale salad

Servings: 4

Calories: 317kcal

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $8.00

Equipment

• Half Sheet Pan
• Skillet
• Mixing Bowl or Mason Jar

Ingredients

Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette:

• 1 ½ Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• ¼ cup Olive Oil

Butternut Squash and Kale Salad:

• 2 cups cubed Butternut Squash
• 1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 bunch Kale, stems discarded, leaves torn into small pieces or thinly sliced with a knife
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Grated zest from ½ Lemon

Toasted Breadcrumbs:

• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• ½ cup Panko (or other breadcrumbs)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss butternut squash in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast on a sheet pan, stirring halfway through, until tender, about 25 minutes.
• While squash is roasting, melt butter in a skillet and add panko. Toast, stirring constantly, until breadcrumbs turn golden brown and fragrant.
• Combine lemon juice, honey, mustard. Whisk while adding olive oil (or combine all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake to combine). Season with salt and pepper. Pour half the dressing over the shredded kale and rub it into the leaves with your hands (this is the whole "massage the kale" thing which tenderizes the leaves).
• When squash is tender, toss with kale. Use a peeler or knife to shave strips of parmesan over the salad. Top with toasted panko and lemon zest and serve with the rest of the dressing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 330mg | Potassium: 355mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 9064IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 1mg

Seems that Molly takes after her mom...never met a Farmers Market she didn't like.  (Though who can pass by something called the "Rad Farmers Market" and not go in?)