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in Mains, Meal Prep Lunches · February 18, 2021

Acorn Squash & Pomegranate Kale Salad

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This roasted Acorn Squash & Pomegranate Kale Salad with a light White Wine Pomegranate Vinaigrette is the perfect winter dish. All the ingredients to a delicious salad are included – nuts, cheese, a complex carb, and a delicious vinaigrette pairing! Make it a meal by adding a protein source.

I had first sought out to make this salad with delicata squash, but I could not find it anywhere at my local grocery stores! I could have scoured the farmer’s markets in my area in hopes of finding one, but of course, I want anyone to be able to reproduce this recipe easily. Making multiple stops at different stores/markets is not my idea of easy!

Instead, I went with acorn squash for a few reasons:

  • It has a similar taste to delicata squash
  • You can roast it in a similar way
  • They both have edible skins!

Acorn squash, also called pepper squash, is a winter vegetable available in early fall through the winter season. It is rich in many nutrients, including fibr
more mild taste than butternut squash, with a lightly sweet and nutty flavour.

Acorn squash is very easy to roast and work with. I find cutting into it when it’s uncooked is much easier than with butternut or spaghetti squash.

Ingredients to make Acorn Squash & Pomegranate Kale Salad

  • 1 large bunch of Kale
  • 1 Pomegranate – Check out my blog post on how to easily de-seed a pomegranate!
  • Feta Cheese
  • Pecans- feel free to sub different nuts here, pistachios or walnuts would work great!
  • 1 Acorn Squash

Ingredients for the White Wine Pomegranate Vinaigrette

  • Pomegranate juice – I used a bottle of pomegranate juice here. Im sure you could make your own juice with the leftover pomegranate seeds, but it sounds like a messy process to me! You can freeze the leftover juice in ice cube tray moulds, simply defrost a few next time you make this vinaigrette again!
  • White wine vinegar
  • Olive oil
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Garlic cloves, minced
  • salt & pepper
  • Simply add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix together.

If you try out this salad let me know what you think by leaving me a review and star rating. Enjoy!

winter salad pomegranate kale

Acorn Squash & Pomegranate Kale Salad

Andrea Toole
A hearty and delicious winter salad made with roasted acorn squash, pomegranate seeds, feta and roasted salted pecans. This salad pairs perfectly with my White Wine Pomegranate Vinaigrette!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Servings 6 as a side

Ingredients
  

  • 2 acord squash sliced and roasted

Salad

  • 1 cup pecans, toasted with a pinch of salt
  • 8 cups kale, re-stemmed and chopped into bite sized pieces
  • Drizzle olive oil and pinch salt
  • 1 cup pomegranate arils
  • 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

White Wine Pomegranate Vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp pomegranate juice
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Roast the Acorn Squash

  • Start by roasting the acorn squash. Preheat the oven to 375F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
    Rinse the acorn squash under cold water to clean the skin.
  • Slice in half lengthwise as shown above. Scoop out the seeds and pulp. You can save the seeds to roast separately if you'd like!
  • Next, slice the squash into half-inch strips horizontally (across the short side) as shown above.
  • Once the acorn squash is sliced, drizzle with some olive oil. You don't need too much here, about 2 tsp worth of oil. Rub in with your fingers to ensure all sides are coated with oil, then add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix together.
  • Lay flat on the 2 baking sheets. You don't want to overcrowd them- this ensures they crisp up well. If they are overcrowded on the baking sheet they will steam rather than roast.
  • Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip each piece over. Return to the oven for an additional 15-18 minutes until each side is golden and soft when pierced with a fork. The skin is edible and it will be soft enough to eat. I like to leave it on, but you can peel it off if you'd like. Cut each piece in half through the middle. Set aside.

Roast the Pecans

  • Place the pecans on a baking sheet. Roast them in the oven for 5 minutes at 375F (you can put them in the oven for the last 5 minutes of the squash cooking!). Remove and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Mix together.

Make the Salad

  • De-rib the kale and rip up the leaves into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, drizzle with about 1 tsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage the kale with your hands for about 30 seconds-1 minute until the leave appears to have a deeper green colour and reduced in volume.
  • Top with the pomegranate seeds, crumbled feta, pecans and acorn squash pieces.

Make the Vinaigrette

  • Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
  • Either mix the vinaigrette into the salad or serve on the side if you anticipate leftovers. Enjoy!

Notes

Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days without the vinaigrette mixed in.
Stored in the refrigerator, the vinaigrette will keep for up to 1 week. The olive oil will harden in the fridge. Allow the vinaigrette to sit at room temperate for 30 minutes before serving for the oil to liquefy again.
Previous Post: « Pecan Crusted Chewy Gingersnap Bites
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