This simple hearty kale and farro salad with roasted butternut squash is tossed in a sweet and savory maple dijon vinaigrette. It makes a perfect side or main dish salad for fall and winter!
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Why This Recipe Works
This simple kale salad uses just a few ingredients, but packs tons of flavor. The sweet and savory roasted butternut squash and hearty kale leaves combine with the chewy, nutty farro, crunchy toasted walnuts and fresh, creamy goat cheese for an amazing blend of textures. And the homemade maple vinaigrette dressing brings the acidity to balance it all out.
Best of all this fall grain salad is loaded with healthy ingredients like fiber rich farro and antioxidant rich kale. It's a perfect side salad for Thanksgiving or a delicious, nutritious meal for fall and winter!
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
- Kale - I used curly kale, but lacitano will also work. You can substitute other salad greens if you prefer. For more tender lettuces you can skip the 30 minute marinating time for the kale.
- Toppings - For the toppings you can substitute other nuts or toasted squash or pumpkin seeds as well. I really like the fresh creamy taste of goat cheese in this fall kale salad, but you can sub blue cheese, shaved parmesan, or feta if you'd like.
- Dressing - For the maple vinaigrette dressing you'll need a few pantry staples. Olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. I highly recommend using pure maple syrup and not flavored pancake syrup in this vinaigrette.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to a small bowl and whisk to combine. If time allows, let the dressing sit for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Stir again just before serving.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Peel and cut the squash into 1 inch cubes.
- Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar. Place on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake for around 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender.
- While the squash is roasting, remove the thick ribs from the kale and chop into bite sized pieces. Add to a large mixing bowl then add 2-3 tablespoons of the vinagrette dressing and toss. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the kale to marinate and soften.
- While the squash roasts and the kale marinates, prepare your farro according to the package directions.
- Remove the kale from the refrigerator and add 1-2 more tablespoons of vinaigrette along with half of the butternut squash, goat cheese, cooked farro, and walnuts and gently toss to combine.
- Place the salad on a serving platter or individual plates, then top with the remaining squash, farro, goat cheese, and walnuts.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
Like most salads, this one is best served the day you make it. However, since we are using kale it will hold up for about a day in the refrigerator.
If you need to make it further in advance, you can prepare the components ahead of time. The farro and butternut squash can both be cooked 2-3 days in advance and the kale can be chopped 2-3 days ahead as well.
The maple vinaigrette can be prepared a week in advance.
If you would like to toast your own walnuts, simply roast them for 7-8 minutes in a 350°F oven or toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, tossing occasionally.
More Salad Recipes
- Fall Apple Walnut Salad with Cider Vinaigrette
- Grilled Balsamic Steak Salad
- Farmer's Market Salad with Avocado Herb Dressing
- Quinoa Greek Salad
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad
📖 Recipe
Kale and Farro Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
Maple Vinaigrette Dressing
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut to 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
For the Salad
- 1 bunch Kale (around 6 cups), ribs removed and chopped
- 1 cup cooked farro, about ½ cup dry
- 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
Instructions
Maple Vinaigrette Dressing
- Add olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to a small bowl and whisk to combine. If time allows, let the dressing sit for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Stir again just before serving.
Butternut Squash
- Preheat your oven to 400°F then peel and cut the squash into 1 inch cubes. Toss in 1 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar.
- Add to a lined baking sheet and cook for around 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender. Remove and let cool while preparing the salad.
For the salad
- While the squash roasts, add chopped kale to a large mixing bowl and toss with 2-3 tablespoons of the maple vinaigrette. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the kale to soften.
- While the kale marinates, prepare your farro according to the package directions.
- Remove the kale from the fridge and add another 1-2 tablespoons of dressing to taste. Then add half of the squash, farro, goat cheese, and walnuts, then gently toss to combine.
- Remove to a large serving platter or individual plates and top with the remaining squash, farro, goat cheese, and walnuts then serve.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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