This Kale Salad with Butternut Squash is the perfect winter salad – maple syrup caramelized squash, salty bacon and crunchy pine nuts.
The holidays are fast approaching and typically salads are the last thing on people’s minds during the month of December! Don’t get us wrong, we love a good hearty, comforting soup and all those comfort-food side dishes the holiday brings, but winter salads like this Kale Salad with Butternut Squash are our love language.
Kale is the BEST green for winter salads because of its deep green colour and its hardy texture. Massage it with a few drops of olive oil to soften it up slightly and help get rid of its bitter taste. It pairs perfectly in this salad with the sweet butternut squash, salty bacon and crunchy toasted pine nuts!
Looking for more winter salads like this? You’ll LOVE this Butternut Squash Pasta Salad, this Pomegranate Salad with Kale and Quinoa and this Pear Salad with Arugula and Prosciutto.
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You will need these items to make this recipe (affiliate links):
- fresh kale
- olive oil
- fresh butternut squash
- bacon
- pine nuts
- maple syrup
- Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Time needed: 30 minutes
Follow these steps for the perfect Kale and Butternut Squash Salad
- Rip the kale by hand, don’t chop it.
Ripping the kale by hand helps to soften it, and it also ensures the perfect bite-sized pieces for your salad.
- Massage with some olive oil.
Softening the kale with a few drops of olive oil is the key to the perfect texture and good flavour.
- Add some texture.
Since kale is such a hardy green it pairs great with soft butternut squash, crispy bacon, and crunchy pine nuts.
- Go for sweet.
Kale typically has a slightly bitter taste so pairing it with sweet squash and an easy Maple dressing is always a good idea.
Can I make this salad vegetarian?
Yes! Feel free to leave out the bacon and replace it with some goat cheese for added saltiness.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes! Simply prepare all the components, store them separately, reheat the squash in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove, and then assemble and serve as directed in the recipe.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite winter salad? We’d love to know!
Looking for more delicious recipes like this? You’ll love these:
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Kale Salad with Butternut Squash
Recipe: Equipment
- large salad bowl
Recipe: Ingredients
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups butternut squash cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 8 cups kale leaves ripped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 4 tablespoons Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (recipe linked in instructions)
Recipe: Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium low heat and add the pine nuts. Toast them in the hot skillet for about 5 minutes, just until slightly golden brown. Move them around in the pan as they toast to avoid over-browning. Remove them to a plate to cool.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the olive oil.
- Add the cubed butternut squash and saute for about 10 minutes, turning the pieces as they begin to brown and soften. Add the maple syrup after about 5 minutes, and turn the heat down to medium to prevent the syrup from burning.
- While the squash cooks, massage the 1 teaspoon of olive oil into the kale leaves and place the kale in a large serving bowl.
- Once the squash is caramelized and soft, add it on top of the kale along with the cooked and crumbled bacon and the toasted pine nuts.
- Top with the Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing, or your favourite sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.
- Toss and serve.
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.