Fall Harvest Salad
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This Fall Harvest Salad is filled with roasted delicata squash, kale & red onion tossed in a creamy tahini dressing. Serve as a main or a side!
Squash, kale and tahini are besties in this Fall Harvest Salad. Delicata squash is tossed in seasonings & vegan parmesan and roasted until crispy. The kale is tossed in the BEST tahini dressing. This salad is cozy, healthy and tasty.
Step One: Roast the Squash
I LOVE delicata squash! It is one of the easier squash varieties to work with – mostly because you can leave the skin on. It also tastes amazing!
I bought my squash pre-cut, but prepping a whole delicata squash is pretty easy. Just cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and then chop into cubes.
Add the chopped squash to a bowl with oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper & vegan parmesan. Toss until coated and transfer to a baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Toss and cook for 10 more minutes.
Step Two: Make the Tahini Dressing
This tahini dressing and I go wayyyyy back! It was part of one of my first popular recipes – Spicy Potato Kale Bowls.
That recipe might be 6 years old, but the dressing still holds up today. And is one of my all time favorites. I made a couple of adjustments for this recipe, but it still has a similar vibe.
To make it you will need tahini, garlic, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, oregano and pepper. Add it all to a blender and blend until smooth – you will need a good amount of water to thin it out.
Step Three: Assemble & Serve
Now that everything is ready, it is time to assemble. Remove the kale from the stems and rip into bite-sized pieces. Add about 1/3 of the dressing to the kale and use your hands to massage it into the kale – this step is important. It will make the kale more tender.
Add 1/2 of the squash and red onions to the kale and toss. Add a little more dressing and top with the rest of the squash and red onion. Sprinkle with vegan parmesan and you are ready to serve!
This salad is healthy, hearty and perfect for a fall dinner!
Tips & Tricks
Tahini is naturally bitter, so you need the other ingredients to add some tang. Adjust as you need until it fits your taste.
You probably won’t use all of the dressing. Store the leftover dressing in the fridge for 3-5 days.
If you have the time to make the dressing ahead of time, I would massage it into the kale and let the salad chill in the fridge for at least an hour.Â
Need more recipe inspo? Check these out:
Fall Harvest Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE SQUASH
- 1 pound delicata squash deseeded and cubed
- 2 tablespoons oil I used avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup grated vegan parmesan I used Follow Your Heart
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard to taste
- lemon juice to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- water to thin
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 head lacinato kale
- 1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
- grated vegan parmesan
- pita bread optional, for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add all of the squash ingredients to a bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Toss and cook for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven.
- While the squash is roasting, add all of the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add as much water as you need to thin – I used almost 1/2 cup. Taste, adjust the seasonings and set aside.
- Remove the kale from the stems and rip into bite-sized pieces. Add about 1/3 of the dressing to the kale and use your hands to massage it into the kale. Place in the fridge to chill while the squash finishes.
- To assemble, add 1/2 of the squash and red onions to the kale and toss. Add a little more dressing and top with the rest of the squash and red onion. Sprinkle with vegan parmesan and serve.
Video
Notes
- Tahini is naturally bitter, so you need the other ingredients to add some tang. Adjust as you need until it fits your taste.
- You probably won’t use all of the dressing. Store the leftover dressing in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- If you have the time to make the dressing ahead of time, I would massage it into the kale and let the salad chill in the fridge for at least an hour.Â
I love the delicata squash in this. I have never cooked it before, but was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful it tasted roasted. And the dressing was to die for!!