Tuscan Kale Salad with Delicata Squash and Chipotle Croutons

This Tuscan kale salad with delicata squash is perfect for Thanksgiving and other cold weather feasts.

Unlike other greens – say, romaine or arugula – kale can be a bit challenging to incorporate into your salad repertoire. Tuscan kale, in particular (a.k.a. lacinato kale, dinosaur kale, and cavolo nero), seems to scare a lot of home cooks with its stiff, textured leaves and slightly bitter taste.

However, once you learn the principles of a great Tuscan kale salad, you’ll be a convert.

At minimum, a Tuscan kale salad needs two things. First, an acidic dressing, to tenderize the leaves and balance the bitter taste. Second, contrasting textures from other ingredients, so you don’t feel like you’re eating rabbit food. An additional thing that’s great to have is something sweet – like roasted delicata squash, in this case – again, to complement the bitterness.

This Tuscan kale salad with delicata squash, quick-pickled red onions, and chipotle croutons is an excellent cold weather salad. The crunchy greens and soft, sweet squash work together perfectly, while the homemade croutons give it a panzanella vibe.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Tuscan Kale: a.k.a. lacinato kale. These stiff textured leaves make the best winter salads. I don’t recommend substituting with curly kale here because it’s a bit too fluffy for the other ingredients. (If you want to make a curly kale salad instead, try my vegan kale caesar!)
• Delicata Squash: If you can’t find it, sub with acorn squash or even sweet potatoes.
• Quick-Pickled Red Onions: These are super easy to make from scratch, but if you want to cut out a step, feel free to sub with store-bought pickled onions.
• Pumpkin Seeds: Add crunch to the salad. Can be subbed with sunflower seeds.
• Bread: Crusty breads like sourdough and ciabatta make the best homemade croutons. If you want to cut out a step, you can use store-bought croutons, but of course they won’t be quite as good.
• Dressing: This classic vinaigrette is made with olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and maple syrup.

How to Make Tuscan Kale Salad with Delicata Squash

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Pickle the Onions

In a small bowl, combine red wine vinegar with a bit of maple syrup and salt. Add thinly sliced red onions and set aside while you prep the rest of the salad.

Step 2: Prep the Squash

Winter squashes are very hard, so use a big sharp chef’s knife here. Trim off the ends, then halve the squash lengthwise. Using a soup spoon, scrape out the seeds and strings, and discard.

Step 3: Roast the Squash

Slice the squash into thin half-moons and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer and roast in a preheated oven until golden brown on the bottom, about 15 minutes. Then flip and cook until brown on the other side.

Step 4: Make the Croutons

Meanwhile, on a separate baking sheet, toss the cubed bread with oil, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Bake until dried out and crispy, about 10 minutes.

Step 4: Make the Dressing

In a bowl large enough to fit all the salad ingredients, whisk together oil, lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.

Step 5: Finish the Salad

To the bowl with the dressing, add torn kale, the roasted squash, the croutons, drained red onions, and pumpkin seeds. Toss to coat.

Pro Tip: I recommend tossing the salad with your hands instead of tongs/salad spoons; roasted squash is quite soft and delicate, and hacking away at it with tongs might destroy its beautiful shape.

Serving Suggestions

This vegan salad is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other winter gatherings. Serve it alongside hearty mains, like shepherd’s pie, vegan cassoulet, or sweet potato burgers.

Make-Ahead Tips

This salad is best served as soon as it’s assembled. If you’d like to prep it in advance, roast the squash, cool it completely, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Make the onions and store them in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week; same for the dressing. Bake the croutons, cool completely, and keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. Assemble and dress the salad right before serving.

More Festive Salads…

• Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
• Vinegret (Ukrainian Beet Salad)
• Moroccan Carrot Salad
• Fall Farro Salad

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.