After taking almost 3 years to share my first kale salad recipe, I have waited less then a week to now post my second.
As I mentioned in this Kale, Candied Pecan and Apple Recipe, the key to a delicious kale salad is a massage. Rubbing the leaves between your hands removes the tough texture and makes the leaves supple and so tender.
This salad is filled with some of my favourite fall ingredients including pomegranate seeds and oven roasted cubes of butternut squash. During winter I love including warm ingredients in a salad, and roasted butternut squash is one of my favourite additions.
The salad is tossed in a creamy tahini and lemon dressing that’s the perfect combination of citrus and sweet. I used honey as a sweetener, but to make this recipe vegan you could easily substitute it for maple syrup. The sweet and acidic flavours of the dressing are a wonderful compliment to the creamy butternut squash, tart pomegranate seeds and sharply flavoured shallots.
Another great thing about kale salads, is that if you make too much, you can save leftovers to enjoy the next day, even when its already tossed in dressing! The leaves become softer but not mushy like a traditional salad would.
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
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Kale, Butternut Squash & Pomegranate Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
Salad
- 1/2 butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 2 cups of small cubes
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large bunch kale
- 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 shallot finely diced
Dressing
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup*
- zest from 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Place the cubed butternut squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil and salt and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until tender and golden in colour.
- While the butternut squash are baking, prepare the remaining ingredients. Remove the stems and chop the leaves into bite sized pieces. Place the chopped kale in a large salad bowl and sprinkle the leaves with a pinch of salt. With clean hands massage the kale leaves by scrunching it between your hands for about 1 minute. The kale will become darker in colour when you do this.
- Add the pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and finely diced shallots to the kale.
- In a blender combine the ingredients for the dressing and blend until thick and creamy.
- Once the butternut squash is cooked, add it to the salad bowl along with the lemon & tahini dressing and toss until the leaves are coated. Serve.
Notes
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
labour of love this recipe…added a drizzle of pomegrante molasses just before serving and topped with roasted chicken marinated with Lebanese 7 spice – spectacular!!
Made this last night, as I had most of ingredients in the fridge and they needed to be used up. It is delicious – I subbed sliced, toasted almonds, as I did not have pine nuts and added more lemon juice and a bit of cayenne pepper to the dressing. It is amazing! Having the remainder now for lunch.
So fresh and delicious with gorgeous winter ingredients. I will definitely make this one again!!!
Easy, fresh, delicious and different!
Awesome! A big bowl of health and flavor! The tahini dressing is rad. I had no idea that you could soften and open up the flavor and texture of kale. Thanks for this recipe.
This has become my favorite fall salad!
So happy to hear that!
The best ever! It was perfect for dinner and I added shredded chicken to it. Although it is 90 degrees here in Florida, the pomegranate was so refreshing and the dressing was perfect! And I love the trick in making the kale not as stiff…Thank you!
Thanks for the comment Charlene! I’m so happy to hear that the salad was a success!
I made this salad for dinner last night and it was absolutely delicious! I loved the flavour combination of the pomegranate seeds and creamy dressing, soo good!
This lemon tahini dressing is my go to salad dressing, I’m so happy that you liked it!
This looks as festive as it looks delicious! Updating my shopping list (again!) Thanks!!
It tastes even better then it looks! I love adding pomegranate seeds to salads this time of year, it makes them look so Christmasy!
I’ve never made a lot of fruity salads but this looks really yummy!
I’m normally not a big fan of lots of fruit in a salad, but the flavours in this really work well 🙂