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    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes » Vegan Salad Recipes

    Butternut squash kale salad

    Last Modified: Oct 27, 2022 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Video Print
    butternut squash kale salad in a white bowl
    butternut squash kale salad in a white bowl

    Looking for a show-stopping salad that's easy to make? This cozy butternut squash kale salad is it! It stars lemony kale, savory roasted squash, tart-sweet cranberries, earthy button mushrooms, and crunchy pine nuts.

    butternut squash kale salad in a white bowl

    What I love about this butternut squash salad with lemony kale is that it's so versatile. You can serve this up as a warm salad day-of or chill it for quick lunches.

    It's hearty enough to work as a side dish or an entree and makes a great leftovers lunch.

    Jump To:
    • Roasting the butternut squash
    • Assembling the butternut squash salad
    • How to serve and store
    • Substitutions and variations
    • Butternut Squash Kale Salad Recipe
    • Frequently asked questions
    butternut squash and other veggies and sauces on a table with text labels on each ingredient

    Roasting the butternut squash

    You can roast the squash and mushrooms for this recipe in the oven or in the air fryer. Either way, start with butternut squash diced into ½" pieces.

    It is important that your pieces are small and uniform, or this recipe will not work. Too-large pieces will take too long to cook, and uneven pieces will mean some burnt squash and some that's underdone. Don't let that happen to you!

    You can make this using a whole butternut squash that you peel, seed, and dice. To save time, I often buy pre-cut squash pieces. You still need to cut them down a bit in size, but it saves so much prep time!

    image collage showing the cut veggies before and after adding dressing, veggies in the air fryer before and after cooking

    Toss the squash pieces, along with button mushrooms and green onions, in a flavorful blender sauce. Then, transfer them to a baking sheet or your air fryer basket until the squash is fork-tender and lightly browned.

    Assembling the butternut squash salad

    While the squash cooks, massage your kale with the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.

    image collage of kale before and after massaging and adding and tossing in the other salad ingredients

    It's important that you stem your kale before massaging it. Kale stems will not soften, even if you massage them, and that's not the texture you want in this salad!

    When the squash finishes cooking, toss it with dried cranberries, then add it to the massaged kale. Add pine nuts, and serve!

    How to serve and store

    You can serve this immediately for a hearty warm salad or chill it until you are ready to eat. It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days.

    This makes a great meal prep for lunches!

    Need some ideas for what goes well with kale and butternut squash salad? I have some suggestions!

    • chicken fried tofu
    • quinoa lentil loaf
    • tofu "egg" salad sandwiches

    You can also serve this over quinoa or your favorite whole grain for an easy meal.

    Substitutions and variations

    Can't find butternut squash? That's ok! You can substitute pretty much any other large, winter squash. You may need to mess with the cooking time a bit, so just keep an eye on it while the pieces are roasting.

    You can use baby bella or chopped portobello mushroom in place of the button mushroom.

    Instead of dried cranberries, you can use dried cherries in this salad.

    If pine nuts are hard to find or too pricey, feel free to use other nuts or seeds! Cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or sliced almonds all work great in this salad.

    butternut squash kale salad in a white bowl

    Butternut Squash Kale Salad Recipe

    Looking for a show-stopping salad that's easy to make? This cozy butternut squash kale salad is it! It stars lemony kale, savory roasted squash, tart-sweet cranberries, earthy button mushrooms, and crunchy pine nuts.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Holiday, Vegan
    Keyword: butternut squash kale salad, kale and butternut squash salad, kale butternut squash salad
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 213kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    For the squash

    • 4 cups diced butternut squash - (You're going for ½" pieces. A 2-pound squash should do the trick.)
    • 1 cup sliced green onions - You're going for 3-inch pieces.
    • 8 ounces button mushrooms - stemmed and quartered
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil - You can substitute spray oil, if you prefer. Just spray after transferring the mixture to the basket.
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 4 cloves fresh garlic

    For the salad

    • ¼ cup dried cranberries
    • 4 cups kale - stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ cup toasted pine nuts - See note for nut-free.

    Instructions

    • If you're baking, preheat the oven to 425° F.

    Roast the squash

    • In a large bowl, combine the squash, green onions, and button mushrooms, and set aside.
    • Make the sauce: Combine the olive oil (if using), soy sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, and garlic in your blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Pour the sauce over the squash mixture, tossing to coat well.
    • To air fry: Transfer the squash mixture to your air fryer basket, leaving any leftover sauce in the bowl. Cook at 400° F for 20-30 minutes (see note), shaking every 5 minutes, until the squash pieces are browned on the outside and tender on the inside. Toss with the cranberries, and set aside
    • To bake: Transfer the squash mixture to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving any leftover sauce in the bowl. Bake for 40-60 minutes (see note), stirring after 20 minutes, until the squash pieces are browned on the outside and tender on the inside. Toss with the cranberries, and set aside

    Make the salad

    • In a large bowl, add the kale, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Massage the kale until it turns bright green. Add to the serving bowl
    • When the squash is done cooking, add it to the bowl of kale. Add the pine nuts, and toss to combine. Serve now for a warm salad, or chill until you're ready to serve.

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer optional

    Video

    Notes

    Make sure that your squash pieces are as uniform as possible. If your pieces vary in size too much, you'll end up with some that are burnt and others that are undercooked. I don't want that for you!
    20-30/40-60 minutes may seem like a big range of cooking times. Let me explain! The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pieces, the size of your air fryer, and even how fresh the squash you chose is. Just keep checking in until it's lightly browned on the outside and fork-tender on the inside.
    You can use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds in place of the pine nuts for a nut-free variation.
    Your butternut squash kale salad will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Butternut Squash Kale Salad Recipe
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    213
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    12
    g
    18
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    5
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    Sodium
     
    303
    mg
    13
    %
    Potassium
     
    848
    mg
    24
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    24
    g
    8
    %
    Fiber
     
    7
    g
    28
    %
    Sugar
     
    5
    g
    6
    %
    Protein
     
    8
    g
    16
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    14554
    IU
    291
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    68
    mg
    82
    %
    Calcium
     
    189
    mg
    19
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

    Frequently asked questions

    Is this recipe dairy free?

    It sure is! In fact, it's totally vegan, so there are no eggs or meat in this satisfying salad, either.

    How do you make kale taste good?

    Raw kale can have a bitter flavor, and cooking or massaging helps with that. Adding an acid, like the lemon juice in this recipe, also counteracts the bitter flavor of kale.

    If you taste the kale in this salad and still find it too bitter, add a teaspoon or so of maple syrup. Sweetness is another bitter-fighting flavor!

    Can this salad be nut-free?

    Yes! Pumpkin or sunflower seeds will work in place of the pine nuts.

    More Vegan Salad Recipes

    • Israeli Couscous Salad Recipe with Creamy Avocado Dressing
    • Vegan mashed chickpea salad with grapes
    • Kale Salad with Apples, Walnuts, and Warm Cranberry Vinaigrette
    • Warm Brussels Sprout Salad with Cranberries & Almonds

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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