Not all kale salads are created equal, and I’ve eaten enough too-stemmy, too-dry, too-chewy ones to guess you may have been turned off before. But strip the stems and give the leaves a good massage with the dressing, and the kale turns tender and bright and ready for just about anything you choose to pile on top.
The Big Salad Blueprint
This salad follows a simple blueprint:
kale + farro + roasted veg + fresh veg + fresh fruit + dried fruit + cheese + nuts + maple-Dijon dressing
My combo includes roasted butternut squash, thinly shaved fennel, apple slices, golden raisins, Manchego, and pistachios. But this is absolutely a make-it-your-own moment. Swap the squash for sweet potatoes, the apple for a pear, the pistachios for pecans. Stick with what’s in season and you can’t go wrong. In the immortal words of Elaine Benes, it’s a big salad. A salad, only bigger, with lots of stuff in it.
Ingredients for This Fall Kale Salad
- Lacinato kale. Also called Tuscan or dinosaur kale, it has flatter, more tender leaves than curly kale. I used two bunches from Trader Joe’s.
- Farro. This chewy, nutty whole grain makes the salad filling. Trader Joe’s 10-minute farro cuts the usual cook time way down.
- Butternut squash. Roasting at 425°F caramelizes the edges and brings out its natural sweetness.
- Apple and fennel. A Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apple adds crisp, juicy sweetness, and thinly shaved fennel brings a fresh, slightly licorice-y crunch. A mandoline makes quick work of both.
- Golden raisins. They’re plumper and milder than regular raisins and add little pops of sweetness.
- Manchego. This firm Spanish sheep’s milk cheese is nutty and salty. I like to shave it with a vegetable peeler then break into smaller, more rustic pieces.
- Pistachios. Roasted, salted pistachios add crunch and a little color. Toasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts work too.
- Maple-Dijon vinaigrette. Cider vinegar, Dijon, a touch of maple syrup, and a finely chopped shallot. Letting the shallot sit in the vinegar for a few minutes softens its bite.
Dinner, Make-Ahead Lunches, and Friendsgiving
Filling enough to serve for dinner (toss in some shredded rotisserie chicken if you want more protein), and sturdy enough to keep in the fridge for lunches all week (save the nuts for sprinkling on right before serving). And if there’s a Friendsgiving on your November calendar, consider this your dish—it’s big, it’s pretty, and it travels like a champ.
Tips for the Best Kale Salad
- Strip every stem. Hold the base of each stem and pull your other hand up along it to strip off the leaves. The stems are tough and fibrous, so toss them (or save them for a smoothie or stir-fry).
- Don’t skip the massage. A minute or two of rubbing the kale with a little dressing makes the leaves tender and takes the edge off any bitterness.
- Cut the squash evenly. Keeping the pieces about 1 inch means they’ll roast at the same rate, so you won’t end up with some mushy and some raw.
- Cool the warm stuff first. Let the squash and farro cool before tossing them with the kale so the leaves don’t wilt.
- Add the crunchy toppings last. Sprinkle on the nuts and cheese right before serving so they stay crisp and distinct.
3 More Ways to Build Your Big Salad
Keep the kale, farro, and maple-Dijon dressing, then mix and match the rest.
Delicata + Pomegranate: Roasted delicata squash (no peeling!) + thinly sliced celery + pomegranate arils + chopped dates + sharp white cheddar + slivered almonds
Pear + Blue Cheese: Roasted sweet potatoes + shaved Brussels sprouts + sliced pear + dried cranberries + Maytag blue cheese + candied pecans
Beets + Citrus. Roasted beets + shaved carrots + orange segments + dried cherries + feta + toasted walnuts
Fall Kale Salad with Butternut Squash, Farro, and Apples
Serves6 to 8
Salad
- 1 medium butternut squash (2 to 2½ lb), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 8.8-oz pkg. 10-minute farro (about 1¼ cups), cooked according to package directions (about 2½ cups cooked)*
- 2 bunches lacinato (Tuscan) kale (about 20 oz total), stemmed and chopped
- 1 Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apple, cored, quartered, and thinly sliced
- ½ medium fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup golden raisins
- 4 oz Manchego cheese, shaved
- ½ cup roasted salted shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup cider vinegar
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss squash with 2 Tbsp oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Spread in a single layer. Roast 35 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring once halfway through. Let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, cook farro according to package directions. Drain, spread on a plate or tray, and let cool.
- For vinaigrette, in a small bowl, combine vinegar and shallot and let stand 10 minutes. Whisk in mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in ½ cup oil until combined.
- Place kale in a very large bowl. Drizzle with about ¼ cup of the vinaigrette. Using your hands, massage kale for a minute or two or until the leaves start to soften and darken slightly.
- Add the farro, squash, apple, fennel, and raisins to the kale. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and toss to coat. Top with Manchego and sprinkle with pistachios.
*I love the 10-minute farro from Trader Joe’s. Boil it in salted water, drain, and you’re good to go. But any farro will work just fine. Cook according to package instructions and let it cool. You’ll just need about 2½ cups.
Make-ahead tip: If you want to prep in advance, roast the squash, cook the farro, and make the vinaigrette up to 3 days ahead; refrigerate separately. You can also prepare the salad as directed— except do not add the pistachios. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days, and sprinkle with the pistachios just before serving.
Fall Kale Salad FAQs
What kind of kale is best for salad? Lacinato (also called Tuscan or dinosaur) kale has flatter, more tender leaves than curly kale, so it softens quickly when massaged. Curly kale works too; just give it an extra minute of massaging.
Do I really have to massage the kale? Yes! Rubbing the leaves with a little dressing breaks down their tough texture and mellows any bitterness. It takes 1 to 2 minutes, and it really does make a big difference. don’t skip it!
How long does this salad keep? Because kale is sturdier than other greens, dressed leftovers hold up in the fridge for about 3 days. Keep the nuts separate so they stay crunchy, and slice the apple fresh if you can.
Is this salad gluten-free? No, farro is a type of wheat. For a gluten-free version, swap in 2½ cups cooked quinoa or wild rice.
How do I make it a main dish? Add shredded rotisserie chicken, or toss in a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas for a vegetarian option.
I think you’ll want to give this one a try. And if you do, please leave a comment and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you.
