Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad

One of my favorite fall foods is butternut squash (if you’re familiar with my fall recipes like Crispy Baked Mac and Cheese or Creamy Lentil Stuffed Butternut Squash, this should come as no surprise!). And this Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad is such a fun and delightful way to enjoy fall flavors.

Rest assured, this is no ordinary salad. The base is a mixture of crispy and chewy roasted butternut squash and cabbage wedges, which get mixed with chopped kale, carrot ribbons, and chickpeas. Everything gets tossed in a tangy red wine vinaigrette and finally topped with an addictive sweet-and-spicy almond crunch.

In case this salad doesn’t sound as good as I think it does, then you should trust my partner Max’s feedback. I can rarely get him to eat salads (especially anything with kale, which he refers to as roughage), but after one bite, he grabbed a huge bowl and said “I assume this is for me.” BOLD move, Max. Bold move.

butternut squash and cabbage salad with kale on platter

Why you’ll love this recipe
Seriously fun vegetables. Butternut squash is always tasty, but opting for super thin slices instead of the standard cube/dice makes it even better. It gets crispy and even chewy in a way that squash typically doesn’t. And instead of just slicing the carrots into coins or matchsticks, I peel them with a wide vegetable peeler for elegant ribbons that make salad so much more fun.
Gourmet but easy and affordable. All the unique flavors and textures make this salad fit for fall entertaining (think Thanksgiving first course!). That said, this salad is quite simple and made with everyday, affordable ingredients.

Save time by picking up the pre-chopped Simply Nature organic kale from ALDI and by making the almond crunch a day or two ahead of time. And you can find all the pantry staples needed for this recipe at a crazy good price at ALDI. Featuring crispy and chewy roasted butternut squash and cabbage, kale and carrot ribbons, chickpeas, a tangy vinaigrette, and a sweet-and-spicy almond crunch, this is the fall salad of your dreams! Hearty yet refreshing, it’s perfect for fall entertaining.