Roasted Delicata Squash and Kale Salad

This Roasted Delicata Squash and Kale Salad is a beautiful Fall dish. It’s hearty, warming and tossed in a delicious balsamic basil dressing that brings all the flavors together. It’s the perfect AIP, paleo, Whole30 and vegan salad or side dish.

I love Fall salads because they often have a warm component. In this Roasted Delicata Squash and Kale Salad, sweet delicata squash is roasted with red onions to caramelize to perfection. Delicata squash is just the best! It’s so easy to prep because you keep the pretty and delicious skin on. The flavor is sweet and slightly nutty and the texture is so tender and creamy. And it’s the star of this salad. It’s paired with finely chopped kale, dried figs and kohlrabi for a salad with all the best qualities – chewy, soft, crunchy and crispy. The basil balsamic dressing is one of my absolute favorites and is so delicious from the fresh basil.

Here’s what you’ll need for this Delicata Squash Salad:

• 1 medium-sized delicata squash
• 1 medium-sized kohlrabi
• 5-6 dried figs
• 1 small red onion
• 1 head of kale (I used leafy green kale, but dino kale would also work here)
• balsamic vinegar and olive oil – for the dressing
• fresh basil and garlic – for the dressing

Here’s how to make this salad:

To make this salad, begin by slicing your delicata squash in half lengthwise, and removing the seeds. Slice the squash into ½-inch wide pieces. Slice your red onion into thick pieces and add to a large bowl with the squash slices. Toss squash and red onion in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Place onto parchment lined baking sheets and spread evenly. Ensure that the squash and onions are laying flat and that the sheet pans aren’t crowded so that they roast rather than steam.

Bake in a 400F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping once in between so that both sides get perfectly golden brown. As your squash and onions roast, wash and chop your kale into thin ribbons. The thinner you slice the kale the better it will taste because it will more easily absorb the dressing. If you rather have bigger pieces of kale, you’ll want to ensure to massage the kale with some olive oil before mixing it with the other veggies in this salad. Chop kohlrabi into cubes, and thinly slice figs. To prepare dressing, crush garlic and finely chop basil. Add to a mason jar or bowl along with balsamic vinegar and salt. Whisk in olive oil until an emulsion is formed.

If you try this Roasted Delicata Squash and Kale Salad, I would love it if you would give the recipe a star rating and review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram. Tag @healmedelicious and use the hashtag #healmedelicious.

Looking for more hearty AIP/paleo/Whole30 salads or roasted veggie sides? Try:

Charred Broccolette and Cabbage Salad

Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Mash

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