Fall Kale Salad with Butternut and honey pecans
A vibrant fall salad with roasted delicata and butternut squash, crispy bacon, honey-glazed pecans, pomegranate seeds, and sharp cheddar, all tossed in a tangy stoneground mustard dressing. Perfect for autumn gatherings or a cozy weeknight meal!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Roasted squash
- ½ small delicata squash halved, seeds removed and sliced in ½-inch slices
- 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
Crispy bacon
- 2 strips bacon
Massaged kale
- 6 cups kale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Honey pecans
- ¾ cup pecans rough chop
- 1 tablespoon honey
Salad ingredients
- 4 tablespoons pomegranate arils
- 1 cup apples Cosmic Crisp is my favorite, but you can use any you like.
- ¼ cup nuts I used pepitas and pistachios
- ⅓ cup cubed sharp cheddar or Dubliner
Stoneground mustard dressing
- 2 tablespoons stoneground mustard
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut and delicata on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake until the squash is tender.
- When the squash is in the oven, place the pecans in a small bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of honey. Mix well and place them on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Move this to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove and let them cool, and rough chop the pecans.
- Cut your bacon into chunks. Fry until crispy. Place on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Rinse the kale, cut the leaves off the stalk, rough chop the kale. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Massage the kale for a few minutes until it is softened and tender.
- All the ingredients should be ready at this point, so assemble your salad.
- Mix your dressing together and drizzle it over the salad. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- When using for meal prep do not add the dressing until you are serving. Otherwise, the salad gets too mushy!
- Don't skip massaging the kale! It really makes it taste much better!
- With your leftover butternut squash, what about making these tasty butternut squash and crispy bacon toasties?