Free: Healthy Freezer Meals Recipe Ebook

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This butternut squash salad recipe is my favorite fall salad! I’ve been making it on repeat through September and October — and once you try it, I think you will, too. Plus, it makes a healthy, delicious, and a colorful addition to any holiday table! Like my pear salad, it’s super easy to make and everyone will love the flavorful combination of kale, roasted squash, tangy goat cheese, and toppings tossed in a quick vinaigrette. Just like my kale crunch salad, this kale butternut squash salad is one of my favorite meal prep recipes that always impresses guests.

I’m always looking for ways to get extra nutrition in my recipes, so I use Eaton Hemp Hearts whenever I can! With complete plant protein and healthy fats, they make an amazing addition to everything from keto yogurt to hemp milk… and this mouthwatering kale salad with butternut squash!

Kale butternut squash salad with a bag of Eaton hemp hearts.

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Why You’ll Love This Kale Butternut Squash Salad

Tender squash, tart cranberries, creamy goat cheese, and nutty hemp hearts
Quick and filling as an entree
15 minutes hands-on prep
Easy side dish to make ahead for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or entertaining for other winter holidays
Loaded with antioxidants, fiber, and protein

Large bowl of butternut squash salad with serving spoons.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for butternut squash salad, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Squash:

Butternut Squash – Look for a 3 pound (medium-sized) squash. Peel and dice into 1-inch cubes. Acorn squash or sweet potato would also taste excellent here!
Olive Oil – Any neutral cooking oil will work for roasting the squash.
Sea salt & Black Pepper

Salad:

Curly Kale – Curly kale is smaller and holds the ingredients better, but other kale varieties will work as well. Discard thick stems.
Dried Cranberries – I make my own sugar-free dried cranberries, but store bought will work.
Eaton Hemp Hearts – Add protein, healthy fats, and a subtle nutty flavor to this salad.
Goat Cheese – I used a plain variety, but flavored ones work as well.

Dressing:

Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar – Adds a tangy flavor that balances the slight bitterness in the kale. The acidic vinegar also helps to break down the cellulose in the kale, making it less tough.
Seasonings – Simply garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.

Butternut squash salad ingredients with Eaton Hemp Hearts.

How To Make Butternut Squash Salad

This section shows how to make roasted squash salad, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Toss. Place squash cubes in a bowl and toss with oil and seasonings.
Roast. Transfer squash to a sheet pan and roast until fork tender and caramelized.

Roasted butternut squash on a baking pan.

Whisk dressing. Mix together oil, vinegar, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Combine. Place chopped kale, roasted butternut squash, goat cheese, cranberries, and hemp hearts in a large salad bowl.

Butternut squash salad dressing in a bowl with whisk.

Salad ingredients in a bowl with Eaton Hemp Hearts.

Toss. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. (You can also plate the salad first instead, and drizzle the dressing over each plate.)

Butternut squash salad with dressing poured on top.

Variations

Swap the squash – Try acorn squash or sweet potato instead of butternut.
Use different greens – Swap kale with arugula, spinach, or mixed greens.
Trade the fruit – Instead of cranberries, use golden currants, raisins, dried blueberries, or fresh pomegranate seeds.
Add even more crunch – In addition to the hemp hearts, toss in some walnuts or pecans.
Make a sweeter dressing – Replace the 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar with 1 tablespoon each of apple cider vinegar and maple syrup.
Try other cheeses – Not a fan of goat cheese? Use feta cheese, blue cheese, or shredded parmesan!
Add protein – Top salad with bacon, shredded chicken, or flank steak for a filling, lower-calorie main dish.

Storage Instructions

Store: Cover leftover roasted butternut squash salad and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Unlike other salads, this one stores very well. Or use leftover squash for butternut squash soup.
Meal prep: Roast butternut squash in advance and chill cubes in the fridge. Chop kale. Store both until ready to assemble and serve.
Reheat: You can enjoy leftovers cold, but I prefer for the squash to be warm. You can store it separately and reheat in the oven (or the microwave) before adding to the salad. I’ve also had my daughter pick the squash out of leftover salad so I could reheat it. 😉
Freeze: Leftover butternut squash can be frozen up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and use in a soup, salad, or smoothie. Avoid freezing the assembled salad, as the texture will be unappetizing.

Butternut squash salad with serving spoon close up.

What To Serve With Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Butternut squash salad pairs best with equally rich and savory main dishes, especially during the fall and winter months. Try with these pairings:

Turkey – Whole roasted turkey, air fryer turkey breast, and bacon wrapped turkey meatloaf make great fall pairings with this salad.
Chicken – Plate salad with balsamic chicken, baked chicken breasts, or roasted chicken and vegetables.
Beef – New York strip steak or prime rib partner perfectly with butternut squash salad.
Soups and stews – Make a soup and salad combo and plate this recipe with pork stew or a creamy corn chowder.

More Healthy Salad Recipes For Fall

If you like this recipe for butternut squash salad, you might also like some of these other hearty and healthy salad recipes:

kale brussels sprouts salad recipe in a bowl

Tools To Make Butternut Squash Salad

Large Baking Sheet – Non-stick and commercial grade for all your baking needs.
Glass Bowls – This set of nesting bowls can go from prep to table.

Butternut Squash Salad

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2 Comments

Journa
0 October 22, 2022Reply

I can’t get enough of this healthy salad. Butternut squash salad is full of flavors making it my new go-to salad recipe. Highly recommended!
Wendy
0 October 21, 2022Reply

This is my new go-to lunch! So easy and delicious. (Plus I love how I feel after a lunch like this!)