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–+ servings
Couscous kale salad in a ceramic bowl with burrata.
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5 from 1 vote

Warm Kale Salad with Couscous

This salad is both delicious and cozy. If you have not tried a warm kale salad, you need to change that. They are delicious!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butternut squash, couscous, kale, warm
Servings: 6
Author: Amy Sandidge

Equipment

  • 1 large saucepan

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ cup Israeli couscous
  • 1 cup cubed butternut squash I cut mine into ½ inch cubes
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 8 cups rough chop kale This seems like a lot, but as it cooks down a little, it will really shrink!
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons chopped pecans optional, but really good
  • 1 ball burrata or more. who can resist?

Instructions

  • Heat your pan over medium heat. Once it is heated, add in the olive oil and heat. To the hot oil, add in the couscous and butternut squash.
  • Cook, stirring frequently until the couscous is toasted. Add in the minced garlic and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth, cover, and let this cook for about 20 minutes on LOW heat. Make sure and reduce that heat.
  • Once it is cooked, remove the lid and gently mix with a rubber spatula. Add the chopped kale and lemon juice, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix them in carefully and let this cook for a few minutes covered until it has warmed and wilted slightly.
  • Add salt and pepper as needed. Then last, mix in the pecans if you are using them. You are done!

Notes

  1. There are a lot of types of kale out there. I used curly kale, which is the most common you will find in the average grocery store. Red kale is also a good option and has a taste very similar to curly kale. Dinosaur kale is also making its way into people's kitchens. It is popular and for good reason. The taste is delicious.
  2. If you want an even more tender, knead the chopped kale with a little olive oil before cooking. This will kelp to soften it, which a lot of people like.
  3. Burrata is my favorite cheese to use in this salad, but other soft cheeses will work as well.
  4. While I only used pecans, just know there is a whole world of seeds and nuts you can use. Walnut, pepitas, and sunflower seeds are some of my favorites.
  5. This salad can easily be used for meal prep. It heats reheats well in the microwave, so double the batch and you will have a meal to take to work.