5 from 54 votes
Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad with Chickpeas and Cranberries
This Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad pairs oven-roasted cubed squash and spiced crispy chickpeas with fresh kale massaged to a tender texture. Sweet cranberries and optional crumbled feta cheese add bursts of flavor and creaminess. A zesty orange vinaigrette dresses the salad, balancing savory and sweet elements. The salad can be served as a side or a vegetarian main, bringing diverse textures from crisp chickpeas to tender squash and chewy kale.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings:
6
servings
Calories:
225 kcal
Course:
Side Dish, Salad
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 2 lb butternut squash
- 1-2 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 4-5 cups curly kale chopped
- 15 oz chickpeas canned
- 2 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup cranberries fresh
- honey for drizzling
- ¼ cup feta cheese optional but delicious, crumbled
CRISPY CHICKPEA SEASONING BLEND
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
- ⅛ tsp cumin ground
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
ZESTY ORANGE DRESSING
- 2 TBSP avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 TBSP orange juice (I juiced a mandarin orange)
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel and cube your squash (or snag it pre-cut from the store) and toss with 1-2 tsp oil. Season with salt and pepper (I add about 1/8 tsp of each) and place in a single layer on a greased or lined baking sheet. Set timer for 15 minutes.
- Next wash and dry your chopped kale. Add to a large bowl and drizzle kale with 1 tsp of your favorite healthy oil and a pinch of salt. Massage with your fingers until kale darkens in color and takes on a velvety texture. This little rubdown turns dry kale into a tender and delicious salad green! Set aside.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.
- Now let's prep our chickpeas! Drain, rinse, and blot dry with a few paper towels. Toss with 2 tsp oil and season with 1/4 tsp salt. Place on a small baking sheet and spread them out a bit. Drizzle cranberries with a teeny bit of oil and place on the opposite side of the chickpeas.
- After the squash has been roasting for about 15 minutes (cue the timer!) add your cranberries and chickpeas to the oven and set timer for additional 20 minutes. The squash will continue roasting away as the chickpeas crisp up and the cranberries lightly roast and burst.
- Once everything is ready, pull your goodies from the oven and drizzle some fresh raw honey over the cranberries (SO GOOD!)
- Next sprinkle the seasoning blend over the hot chickpeas and mix it all up to coat.
- Top your kale with fresh from the oven squash, cranberries, and chickpeas and optional feta cheese. Serve with dressing for drizzling (whisk again before serving) and enjoy!
Cup of Yum
Notes
- This recipe makes six side servings or three larger entrées.
- If using a large baking sheet, roast chickpeas and cranberries alongside squash for convenience but leave some space for crisping.
- Estimated nutrition facts are provided externally and can vary with optional add-ons or substitutions.
Nutrition Information
Calories
225kcal
(11%)
Carbohydrates
34g
(11%)
Protein
7g
(14%)
Fat
8g
(12%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Sodium
366mg
(15%)
Potassium
879mg
(19%)
Fiber
6g
(24%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
20640IU
(413%)
Vitamin C
90.4mg
(100%)
Calcium
164mg
(16%)
Iron
2.6mg
(14%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 225
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 225kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 34g | 11% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 366mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 879mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 20640IU | 413% |
| Vitamin C | 90.4mg | 100% |
| Calcium | 164mg | 16% |
| Iron | 2.6mg | 14% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.