This salad is made with sweet butternut squash, quinoa, kale, pumpkin seeds and drizzled with a delicious balsamic dressing. Perfect for the fall or winter when you’re wanting a hearty, warm salad.
This shop has been compensated by OXO and California Olive Oil. All opinions are mine alone.
The key to delicious salads is a variety of creative ingredients. Salads shouldn’t be boring. They’re meant to be vibrant, colorful, and full of texture!
I am so in love with this dressing, I literally put it on almost every salad I make. It’s my absolute favorite and is so simple to make! The base of the dressing is extra virgin olive oil, especially California Olive Ranch. Great meals start with great extra virgin olive oil, let your food shine! The best part is you will have leftovers, so you can store it in the OXO Salad Dressing Shaker and keep it in the fridge for more salads.
Click the video below to watch me share this salad live on Twin Cities Live!
In order to prepare the kale properly, the key is to massage it with your hands for a few minutes. This not only softens the leaves but makes it easier to digest. OXO tools help make healthy meals easier and better. It’s easy to make a salad with the right kitchen equipment! It’s great to get into the habit of washing your greens before eating them, just to be on the safe side. After washing your greens, I always recommend spinning them dry with the OXO Salad Spinner to remove excess water so the greens don’t get soggy and the dressing soaks in well. If you’re not a fan of kale, you could swap it for mixed greens.
The beauty
OXO tools help make healthy meals easier and better. It’s easy to make a salad with the right kitchen equipment! It’s great to get into the habit of washing your greens before eating them, just to be on the safe side. After washing your greens, I always recommend spinning them dry with the OXO Salad Spinner to remove excess water so that the greens don’t get soggy and the dressing sticks.
This salad will quickly become the star at any dinner party or a staple work lunch to prep ahead and take on-the-go. It’s flavorful, warm, satisfying, and delicious!
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Warm Butternut Squash Kale and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 cups Butternut Squash (about 1.5 lbs) cubed
- 1 Tbs Avocado or Olive Oil
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 large Bunch of Tuscan Kale (6 cups) stemmed and very finely chopped
- ½ cup Quinoa measure dry
Dressing
- 3 Tbs Olive Oil
- 1 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp Honey or Maple Syrup
- Salt & Pepper
Topping
- ¼ cup Pumpkin Seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place cubed butternut squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt.
- Toss to evenly coat the butternut squash with oil and salt. Spread butternut cubes evenly around pan and roast for 25-30 minutes until squash is fork-tender.
- While the butternut squash is cooking, chop your kale if you haven’t already and add it to a large bowl.
- Massage the kale with your hands for about two minutes to help soften the greens. Set aside.
- Next, cook the quinoa, add the quinoa and 1 cup of water to a pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to low and cook while covered for 12-15 minutes. You will know when the quinoa is fully cooked when all the water is absorbed.
- To prepare your dressing, add the olive oil, balsamic, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and honey in a small bowl; whisk until smooth.
- Pour dressing all over the chopped kale and use your (clean) hands to gently massage the dressing into the kale for about 3 minutes. This helps remove any bitterness from the kale and adds flavor to the leafy green.
- Once the butternut squash is done cooking, add it to the kale along with the quinoa and pumpkin seeds; toss to combine.
- Add to a large salad bowl and serve.
