Autumn Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale - photo 1
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Autumn Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale

Pikantne Salads Vegetarian Dishes Main Dishes 60 min Easy 9 wyświetleń ~60.58 PLN - (0)
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Description

This autumn salad is the essence of seasonal flavors, all packed into one nourishing bowl. It is a dish that can successfully replace a full meal, providing a wealth of vitamins, protein, and healthy fats. The heart of the salad is sweet, oven-caramelized butternut squash, whose velvety texture perfectly contrasts with the slightly crunchy, intensely flavored kale. The kale, previously 'massaged' with a bit of olive oil, becomes more tender and easier to eat. The carbohydrate base consists of nutritious quinoa, adding a nutty flavor. The dish is completed with crunchy, toasted pecans, salty, creamy feta, and sweet-tart accents of dried cranberries. The binding element that brings all these ingredients together is a bold vinaigrette made with apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup. It’s the perfect option for cooler days, warming, satisfying, and delighting with a palette of colors – from deep green, through intense orange, to the white and red of the toppings.

Ingredients (14)

Servings:
4
  • butternut squash 800 g
  • Kale 200 g
  • Komosa ryżowa (quinoa) 185 g
  • Feta cheese 150 g
  • Pecan nuts 50 g
  • Extra virgin olive oil 0.4 łyżek
  • Apple cider vinegar 30 ml
  • Maple syrup 20 ml
  • Dijon mustard 5 g
  • Garlic 1 ząbek
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony 2 szczypty
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Dried cranberries 40 g
  • Pumpkin seeds 20 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~60.58 PLN (15.15 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Roasted pumpkin

1

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan) or 220°C (top-bottom). In the meantime, prepare the pumpkin. Place it on a stable cutting board. Use a large, sharp knife to first cut off both ends. Then, stand the pumpkin upright and carefully cut it in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and fibrous flesh from the inside. Next, using a vegetable peeler or a small knife, remove the tough skin. Cut the peeled pumpkin into cubes with a side of about 2 cm.

Ingredients: butternut squash
Be careful when cutting hard pumpkin. If it is very hard, you can put it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes to soften the skin slightly, making it easier to peel. Even pieces will ensure even baking.
2

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the chopped pumpkin to the sheet. Drizzle it with 2 tablespoons (about 30 ml) of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands so that each piece of pumpkin is evenly coated with oil and seasonings. Spread the pumpkin in a single layer across the entire surface of the sheet.

Ingredients: butternut squash, Extra virgin olive oil, Salt, Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony
Make sure the pieces of pumpkin are not crowded. If they are too close to each other, they will steam instead of roast and won't achieve a tasty, caramelized crust. If necessary, use two baking sheets.
3

Place the baking tray with the pumpkin in the preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Halfway through baking (after about 15 minutes), stir the pumpkin with a spatula to ensure it browns evenly. The pumpkin is ready when a fork easily pierces it and the edges are slightly browned and caramelized. After baking, remove the tray from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Ingredients: butternut squash
Every oven is different, so keep an eye on the pumpkin towards the end of baking. You want it to be soft but not falling apart. A slight charring on the edges will add a wonderful, sweet flavor.

Cooking quinoa

4

While the pumpkin is baking, cook the quinoa. Place the quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water. Stir it with your hand for about a minute, until the water flowing from the sieve is completely clear. This step is crucial to remove saponins - a natural, bitter-tasting coating on the grains.

Ingredients: Komosa ryżowa (quinoa)
Do not skip rinsing the quinoa! This is the most important step that determines its flavor. Use a sieve with very fine mesh so you don't lose the small grains.
5

Transfer the rinsed quinoa to a small pot. Pour in double the volume of water (for 185g of quinoa, use about 370 ml of water) and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to the minimum, cover the pot with a lid, and cook for about 15 minutes. The quinoa is ready when it has absorbed all the water, the grains become translucent, and characteristic 'tails' (sprouts) appear on them. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit covered for another 5 minutes. Finally, gently 'fluff' the quinoa with a fork to separate the grains.

Ingredients: Komosa ryżowa (quinoa), Salt
Use a pot with a thick bottom to prevent the quinoa from burning. After cooking, do not stir it with a spoon; gently separate the grains with a fork – this will keep it fluffy.

Preparation of toppings

6

Prepare the kale. Rinse the leaves thoroughly under running water and dry them using a salad spinner or paper towels. Remove the tough, woody stems from the center of the leaves – you can do this by tearing the leaves from the stem or cutting it out with a knife. Tear the leaves into smaller, bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Now perform the key step: massage the leaves with your hands for about 1-2 minutes, kneading them until they become darker, softer, and reduce in volume.

Ingredients: Kale, Extra virgin olive oil, Salt
'Massaging' kale breaks down its tough structure, making it much tastier and easier to digest. It's the secret to the perfect raw kale salad!
7

In a small, dry skillet (without any added fat), toast the pecans. Set the burner to medium heat and add the nuts. Toast them for 3-5 minutes, stirring or shaking the skillet frequently, until they start to smell fragrant and lightly brown. Be careful not to burn them, as they will become bitter. Remove the toasted nuts from the skillet and chop them coarsely. Crumble the feta cheese into smaller pieces with your hands.

Ingredients: Pecan nuts, Feta cheese
Do not walk away from the pan while toasting the nuts – they burn very quickly! As soon as you smell their aroma, immediately remove them from the heat and transfer them to a plate to stop the toasting process.

Vinaigrette sauce

8

Prepare the dressing. Peel the garlic and press it through a garlic press or chop it very finely. In a small jar with a lid, pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup. Add the Dijon mustard, prepared garlic, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Screw the lid on the jar and shake it vigorously for about 30 seconds, until all the ingredients combine into a smooth, uniform emulsion. The dressing should thicken slightly.

Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil, Apple cider vinegar, Maple syrup, Dijon mustard, Garlic, Salt, Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony
Using a jar is the simplest way to perfectly mix the sauce. Alternatively, you can place all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk vigorously, slowly pouring in the oil in a thin stream.

Assembling the salad

9

In a large bowl, where the 'massaged' kale is already, add the cooked and slightly cooled quinoa and the roasted, warm pumpkin. Add crumbled feta cheese, chopped pecans, and optionally dried cranberries. Drizzle everything with the prepared vinaigrette.

Ingredients: Kale, Komosa ryżowa (quinoa), butternut squash, Feta cheese, Pecan nuts, Dried cranberries
Add the pumpkin gently to avoid crushing the soft pieces. It's best to serve the salad while the pumpkin and quinoa are still slightly warm – that's when the flavors blend best.
10

Using two large spoons, gently but thoroughly mix all the ingredients so that the dressing evenly coats each element of the salad. Try to mix from the bottom up to avoid crushing the ingredients. Taste and season with additional salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately, topping with optional pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients: Pumpkin seeds
The salad tastes best right after preparation. If you don't eat it all at once, store the ingredients and dressing separately, and combine them just before serving.

Fun Fact

💡

Butternut squash, although treated as a vegetable in the kitchen, is botanically a fruit because it develops from the flower of the plant and contains seeds.

Best for

Jesienny obiad Pożywna kolacja Elegancka przystawka Zdrowy lunch do pracy

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the salad in a large, flat bowl or on individual plates. It tastes best when the pumpkin and quinoa are still slightly warm, creating a pleasant contrast with the cool kale and feta. For added crunch, sprinkle the salad just before serving with toasted pumpkin seeds. It pairs wonderfully with a glass of dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc.

🥡 Storage

The salad tastes best fresh. If you want to prepare it in advance, store the roasted pumpkin, cooked quinoa, prepared kale, and dressing in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Combine all the ingredients and drizzle with the dressing just before serving. Do not store the salad already mixed with the dressing, as the kale will wilt and lose its crunch.

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