Hearty Kale Salad with Kabocha Squash, Pomegranate Seeds, and Toasted Hazelnuts
Share
- ✉
-
Author Notes: I think of this as a perfect winter salad. Creamy kabocha squash adds heft and comfort to the dish, while a tart vinaigrette and pomegranate seeds liven it. You can serve it as a denser appetizer, or as a light meal. - Gena Hamshaw
Serves 4-6
- 1 Large bunch curly kale, stems removed and discarded, torn into bite sized pieces, washed, and spun dry
- 1 Small kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin), halved and seeded and cut into 1.5 inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons Olive oil, divided into 1 tbsp and 3 tbsp
- 3/4 cups Pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup Skinned hazelnuts
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon Sea salt
- Black pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the squash in 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until golden, stopping halfway through to stir.
- While squash is roasting, place the hazelnuts in a shallow baking dish (or a pie pan) and toast in the oven for 4-6 minutes, or until they are golden. Check them frequently and remove them the moment they start to get brown. Once they've cooled a little, chop them roughly and set aside.
- Whisk together the remaining olive oil, mustard, lemon, maple syrup, sea salt, and pepper. Pour 3 tbsp over the kale to begin with, and "massage" the kale well with your hands, till it's coated in the dressing and taking on a soft, almost wilted texture. Add the remaining dressing as needed and according to tastes. Add pomegranate seeds and hazelnuts.
- Once the squash has finished cooking and has cooled for 10-15 minutes, add it to the salad and serve.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
More Great Recipes
Share a Recipe
Enter one of our contests, or share that great thing you made for dinner last night.
Add a Recipe
3 months ago laurel'skitchen
I used butternut squash (the already cut-up stuff from the grocery store) and my husband LOVED! It.
4 months ago CarolineSL
This was fantastic! I added some diced pancetta for an additional layer of texture. Just loved the kale dressing. Now to get my husband to stop complaining about "that $10 squash"!
4 months ago Crissy Shipp
this was great with sweet potatoes, sausage and quinoa!
4 months ago DeirdreMS
Would love to see a picture of this type of squash.
4 months ago Terri Tangney Fleming
http://food52.com/blog...
5 months ago marie.killian.5
This makes me hungry, lol, I ma at work and away from my 'fridge! Home plan. Using Carothers' Olive Oil, the best olive oil to enhace an already great recipe/idea! http://www.carothersoliveoil....
5 months ago Joe Strandell
Looks delicious!
I love your blog! So many great articles... I thought you might like to know that www.Dentist.net is offering 10% off their products with the code ORALCARE :) Happy New Years!