The best Thanksgiving salad with kale, butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, feta (optional), and maple-rosemary pecans. Gluten-free.
Thanksgiving is almost here! And while salad isn’t probably what gets you excited about the holiday, this one… just might. This Thanksgiving kale salad with maple-rosemary pecans is my new favorite.
Because kale is a sturdy green, you can make this salad ahead of time (less stress on Thanksgiving Day ✌🏼) and – the best part – it will stay fresh in the fridge after the holiday so you can use it as a base for leftovers for a Thanksgiving bowl situation.
Thanksgiving Kale Salad Ingredients
Here’s what’s in the Thanksgiving kale salad!
Kale. I used curly kale here, but Lacinato (aka Dinosaur) would be good too! I used one huge (12 oz) bunch, but you might need a few smaller bunches to get to 12 oz total. Be sure to massage the kale with a little olive oil and salt, as written in the instructions, so that it becomes more tender and easier to chew.
Butternut Squash. I peeled and cubed a small butternut squash for this recipe, but to save time you can totally buy pre-cut butternut squash at the store. You’ll need 3-4 cups.
Pomegranate Seeds. The pomegranate seeds and the maple-rosemary roasted pecans make this salad festive! I deseeded the pomegranate myself (this is the cleanest, easiest method) but you could also buy pomegranate seeds at the store.
Maple-Rosemary Pecans. My favorite part of the salad! These are the perfect sweet-savory crunch that all salads need. While I wouldn’t skip these if you can help it, roasted and salted pecans would be a good substitute.
Feta or Goat Cheese. The cheese is totally optional, but I like the dimension it gives the salad. If you’re vegan or dairy-free, there are tons of real-food dairy-free brands that would work well here! I used the Esti Foods Plant-Based Feta.
Thanksgiving Salad Make-Ahead Instructions
Make this salad ahead of time! The components of the salad can be made ahead of time and stored separately in the fridge, including the dressing, but wait to massage the kale until the day of. Toss everything together before enjoying it.
Really Like Thanksgiving?
Same. Here are a few other Loveleaf Co. Thanksgiving recipes!
Healthy Pumpkin Pie (Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free)
Pumpkin Spice Energy Bites
Healthy Thanksgiving Side Salads
No-Bake Apple Crisp
Apple Pie Energy Bites
Gluten-Free Rosemary Cornbread Muffins
Or check out my Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes Pinterest board!
Thanksgiving Kale Salad with Maple-Rosemary Pecans
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6–8 as a side 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
The best Thanksgiving salad with kale, butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, feta (optional), and maple-rosemary pecans. Gluten-free.
Ingredients
Maple-Rosemary Pecans
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup raw, unsalted pecans
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Butternut Squash
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (OR 3–4 cups pre-cut butternut squash)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Shallot Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Salad Assembly
- 1–2 bunches of kale (12 oz total), destemmed and thinly sliced
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 4 oz crumbled feta or goat cheese (about 1 cup, dairy-free if desired)
- 3–4 cups roasted butternut squash
- 1 cup maple-rosemary pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Make the maple-rosemary pecans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix together the extra virgin olive oil and maple syrup. Add the pecans and toss to coat. Add the chopped rosemary and salt, toss again, and arrange evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, gently stir, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until just golden brown. Allow to cool.
- Roast the butternut squash. Turn up the oven heat to 425 degrees F. Arrange the butternut squash cubes evenly on a baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss so that the squash is evenly coated. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Massage the kale. Add the de-stemmed and thinly sliced kale to large bowl. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Massage the kale with your hands until softened.
- Make the dressing. Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl (or jar) and stir (or shake) until well combined.
- Assemble the salad. To the bowl with the kale, add the pomegranate seeds, crumbled cheese, roasted butternut squash, coarsely chopped pecans, and dressing. Toss everything together and add more salt, if needed, to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
Make-Ahead Instructions. The components of the salad can be made ahead of time and stored separately in the fridge, including the dressing, but wait to massage the kale until the day of. Toss everything together before enjoying it!
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