This Winter kale salad recipe is hearty, healthy and full of seasonal flavors. The base of the salad is tender massaged kale, hearty farro, fresh rosemary roasted kabocha squash and cauliflower. Roasted peppers and pomegranate arils add color, sweetness and texture to this wintery wonder. Then it's all dressed in a lemony and garlicky tahini dressing.
What is a Winter Salad?
A winter salad describes a dish featuring produce that is seasonal to cold winter months. They are often interchangeable with Fall salads, since many vegetables are seasonal in both Fall and Winter like squash, pumpkins, dark leafy greens like kale, cabbage, pomegranates, cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli.
One of the keys to differentiate a Fall/Winter salad from a Summer salad is the addition of heartier elements like grains and roasted veggies. While warmer months make us crave lighter and cooler combinations, the colder months make us eat heavier and more filling salads.
Why you'll love this Winter Kale Salad
- Easy to make
- Full of seasonal veggies
- Extra hearty and filling from the farro and roasted squash
- Super nutritious and full of fiber
- It tastes delicious
- This salad is as pretty as it is tasty
Time Saving Tip
If peeling and cubing squash is too challenging, buy a prepared peeled and cubed squash instead. They often have them by the bagged salad greens in many markets for convenience.
Winter kale salad recipe Ingredients
This delicious kale salad has mostly simple ingredients. The seasonal kabocha squash may be a bit harder to find depending on your area but it can be substituted for butternut or delicata.
- Kabocha Squash: This Japanese pumpkin is sweet and starchy and tastes amazing roasted in a salad
- Baby bell peppers: I love how these add color and sweet pops of flavor
- Cauliflower: This cruciferous veggie makes every dish more satisfying
- Garlic-This pungent flavor compliments the roasted veggies and farro
- Rosemary- This fresh herb instantly up levels the savory factor
- Kale- The perfect leafy green for a Winter Salad
- Pomegranate arils: The color is so pretty and the infuse each bite with a tangy sweetness
- Lemon and Sesame Tahini- the flavor base of the creamy and citrus infused dressing
- Salt, pepper garlic powder, extra virgin olive oil
Flavor tip: For extra wintery flavor, reserve the rosemary from the roasting step. Remove the leaves from the woody stem and add them to the dressing for a burst of flavor.
How to Make this Winter Kale Salad
This is a simple and easy recipe to make with straightforward instructions and steps. The most challenging part of the recipes is peeling the squash. Use a sharp knife and take it slow, peeling the rind off very carefully so as not to cut your fingers. Otherwise this winter salad is quite beginner friendly. All you have to do is:
- Roast the veggies on a sheet pan
- Cook the Farro
- Massage the kale
- Make the dressing in the blender
- Combine all the ingredients and dress the salad
Tips for Making the Best Winter Salad
- Add protein to make it even more filling and healthy. I like chickpeas or white beans for this one but any bean will do.
- Throw in some nuts for extra crunch! Pecans, pepitas or almonds are great additions to any salad
- For a more seasonal vibe, add wintery fruits like mandarin oranges or pears
- Experiment with grains. Use wild rice, quinoa or orzo instead for a twist.
FAQs
The best substitute for the kabocha squash is butternut squash.
Unless you are sure there will be no leftovers, I don't advise subbing another green. Kale holds up so well to the dressing. But if you are serving the salad immediately, use romaine. It is crunchy and fresh and will hold its own better than spinach or spring mix.
I am sorry to say, farro is not a gluten free grain. So if you avoid gluten, substitute quinoa or brown rice.
Other Delicious Fall & Winter Salad Recipes
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Winter Kale Salad with Roasted Squash, Farro and Pomegranate
Ingredients
For Roasted Veggies
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 3 garlic cloves, whole
- 1 sprig rosemary torn
- 3 baby bell peppers halved
- 2 cups cauliflower cut in florets
- 1 cup kabocha squash cubed
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Salad base
- 8 oz farro cooked according to package and cooled
- 1 bunch kale washed, stemmed and chopped in bite sized peices
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the dressing
- 1 lemon large, juiced
- ¼ cup sesame tahini
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup water
- 3 roasted garlic cloves from above
Instructions
Prepare Roasted Veggies
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Spread cauliflower florets, whole garlic cloves, halved bell peppers and cubed kabocha squash in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, a pinch of salt, garlic powder and rosemary. Toss with hands to distribute oil and seasoning well and bake for 20 minutes until all veggies are fork tender.
For the salad base
- Cook the farro according to package and let cool
- To a large mixing bowl add the kale, salt and oil. Massage the kale with your hands, spreading the salt and olive oil throughout the leaves for 2-3 minutes until kale is tender.
Make the Dressing
- To a high speed blender add the tahini, water, lemon, roasted garlic cloves from the oven, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Combine
- To the large mixing bowl with the massaged kale, add the roasted kabocha, the roasted cauliflower florets, the roasted peppers (cut into bite sized pieces) and the pomegranate arils. Pour the dressing over the top and then toss until it is well combined.
- Enjoy within 3-4 days
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