This easy pomegranate kale salad with quinoa and roasted squash is the perfect way to celebrate a shift in the seasons. It’s ready in under an hour (including hands-off roasting time!) and uses peak season produce to add some serious flavor to your meal time.
When you live in Florida, seasons don’t change much, it’s sort of…always summertime! 😅 So I let produce lead the way when it comes to seasonal cooking. Tender massaged Tuscan kale serves as the canvas while bright pomegranate and sweet roasted squash create the perfect fall flavors. Tangy feta cheese and toasted walnuts top everything off! I love dressing this salad with a seasonal pomegranate salad dressing, but you can also use a simple maple vinaigrette or even a feta dressing to play up the feta flavor, too!
why this kale pomegranate salad recipe works:
🥗 fresh + flavorful. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just CRAVE veggies, and seasonal salads are my favorite way to pack in the produce. By choosing veggies that are in season, you get the best flavor without falling into a rut.
🔀 customizable. The great thing about salads is you can easily customize them based on your personal preferences. Add a protein to the top of the salad and make it a main dish, perfect for meal prep, lunch, or dinner! .
🌈 bold + colorful. Peak season produce means the best most bold flavors and colors. The vibrant colors are a delicious hint at the flavors waiting for you in each bite!
🛒 ingredients
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 instructions
1: Remove the kale leaves from the stems and rinse them thoroughly using a salad spinner, then chop or tear the leaves.
2: Massage and season your kale leaves with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Make sure to really get your hands involved here and gently rub the oil through each leaf until the kale darkens and becomes tender (about 1-2 minutes)!
3: Rinse your quinoa well and prepare it according to the directions on the packaging.
4: Slice your squash into pieces that are about 1/4 inch thick and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
5: Roast the squash until golden and tender, about 30-40 minutes, flipping half-way through roasting time.
6: Peel your pomegranate and remove the seeds.
7: Build your salad, either in a large serving bowl or individual portions.
8: Serve immediately.
💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ how to serve your pomegranate kale salad
- pair with pizza, pasta, + more – I love serving this salad with seasonal pizzas, pasta, or even as a side salad for weeknight dinners when made ahead of time!
- add protein – if you prefer a heartier salad you can top it with the protein of your choice. I love using shredded chicken, chicken cutlets, and even oven-roasted tempeh for a plant-based option!
- prep in advance – this salad is also great for seasonal meal prepping! Make a big double batch of this salad and have lunch sorted all week long!
- holiday show-stopper – want a real stunner on any holiday table? This is the salad for you! Whether it’s an autumn gathering, such as Thanksgiving, or brightening up a dreary winter day, or even as part of your Christmastime tablescape, it’s sure to bring a bright pop of color and flavor!
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- revive your kale – if your kale leaves are wilting or less than crisp, you can give them a quick ice bath to revitalize them! Simply soak your leaves in ice water for up to 30 minutes, then drain and dry them. Store the cleaned leaves in a bowl covered with a damp paper towel until you’re ready to begin assembling your salad!
- massage at the right moment – don’t massage your kale until you’re pretty much ready to serve your salad, because the kale leaves can become wilted or limp if left out too long. If you want to prep things in advance, you can make all of the components of the salad like the quinoa and roasting the squash and then assemble your salad a few hours before serving.
- rinse your quinoa – I used to skip this step and I couldn’t figure out why my quinoa had a funky flavor. Turns out, rinsing your quinoa isn’t exactly optional. It helps to remove any protective coatings on the grains (called saponin) that helps protect it from pests. If you skip this step, you can end up with bitter or soapy tasting quinoa.
- deeply roast the squash – avoid squash that has a “bite” to it by ensuring it’s evenly and deeply roasted. If your squash isn’t turning a shade of golden brown after 15 minutes, you can keep it in the oven for up to 20 or 25 minutes per side. Just be sure not to let it burn, too. There’s a sweet-spot, literally!
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♻️ customize your kale pomegranate salad
- warm or cold – this salad is delicious with warm squash straight from the oven OR prepped in advance and served cold. For warm squash, roast it last while you assemble everything else.
- switch the squash – if you can’t find red kuri squash, you can use another small roasting squash in its place. Acorn squash, kabocha squash, and honey nut squash are all solid options that have a similar flavor and sweet-nutty profile.
- choose another cheese – cool and creamy goat cheese is another great choice in place of feta if you prefer! You can even use an herbed goat cheese to really take things to the next level!
- go against the grain – you can use bulgar, farro, and even couscous in place of quinoa. You can flip the ratio of kale to quinoa and turn this into a grain bowl instead of a salad!
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🫙 how to store leftover salad
Store any leftover salad in the fridge for up to 5 days. For best results, make sure to store the salad without dressing on it. A dressed or marinated salad will be best when eaten within a day or so, otherwise the leaves start to wilt too much.
If you’re prepping your salads for the week, you can layer the ingredients in a “grain bowl” style with the quinoa on the bottom and lettuce on the top to keep things crisp and delicious throughout the week!
💬 q+a
What’s the best way to peel a pomegranate?
In general, it’s best to score and peel the fruit, then submerge it in a big bowl of water while gently jostling the seeds free. Check out my guide for juicing a pomegranate to get all the details on removing the seeds from the fruit.
Do I need to peel red kuri squash?
Nope! Once roasted, the skin of the squash is completely edible. I even like that it provides a bit of textural intrigue in the salad, too! If that’s not your thing, you can totally peel the squash though!
Why is my quinoa bitter?
If you skip the step of rinsing your quinoa, you can end up with bitter-tasting grains. Be sure to give your quinoa a good rinse under running water through a fine mesh strainer to minimize any off-flavors before boiling!
Kale and Pomegranate Salad with Quinoa, Feta, and Red Kuri Squash
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Ingredients
- 225 g Tuscan kale lacinato kale about 10 cups, from 2 bunches, destemmed and torn or chopped (about 1.5 cups per salad)
- 150 g pomegranate seeds about 1 cup, from one medium-large pomegranate (about 2.7 TBSP per salad)
- 370 g quinoa cooked, 2 cups (1/3 cup per salad, or 62 g)
- 650 g red kuri squash one small squash, 6 – 8 inches around, seeded and sliced, about 6 cups (108 g per salad, or 1 cup)
- 195 g feta cheese 1 block of fresh feta
- 85 g chopped walnuts 3/4 cup
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Prep kale. Remove the stems from the kale and chop it or tear it into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl.225 g Tuscan kale
- Roast the squash. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the red kuri squash (no need to peel), toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until tender and caramelized.650 g red kuri squash
- Cook quinoa. Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Let cool slightly.370 g quinoa
- Toast walnuts. Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Chop if desired.85 g chopped walnuts
- Massage kale. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil or dressing over the kale and massage with your hands for 1-2 minutes to tenderize.
- Assemble salad. Top your kale with the cooked quinoa, roasted squash, pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and feta cheese.150 g pomegranate seeds, 195 g feta cheese
- Dress salad. Drizzle with your choice of dressing.
- Serve. Serve immediately while the squash is still warm.
Notes
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- revive your kale – if your kale leaves are wilting or less than crisp, you can give them a quick ice bath to revitalize them! Simply soak your leaves in ice water for up to 30 minutes, then drain and dry them. Store the cleaned leaves in a bowl covered with a damp paper towel until you’re ready to begin assembling your salad!
- massage at the right moment – don’t massage your kale until you’re pretty much ready to serve your salad, because the kale leaves can become wilted or limp if left out too long. If you want to prep things in advance, you can make all of the components of the salad like the quinoa and roasting the squash and then assemble your salad a few hours before serving.
- rinse your quinoa – I used to skip this step and I couldn’t figure out why my quinoa had a funky flavor. Turns out, rinsing your quinoa isn’t exactly optional. It helps to remove any protective coatings on the grains (called saponin) that helps protect it from pests. If you skip this step, you can end up with bitter or soapy tasting quinoa.
- deeply roast the squash – avoid squash that has a “bite” to it by ensuring it’s evenly and deeply roasted. If your squash isn’t turning a shade of golden brown after 15 minutes, you can keep it in the oven for up to 20 or 25 minutes per side. Just be sure not to let it burn, too. There’s a sweet-spot, literally!
Our local supermarket just got tons of Red Kuri Squash, and I was wondering what I could do with it. This is a perfect compliment to a fall salad. Thank you!
omg that’s seriously perfect timing for this salad, Judy!! Thanks so much for sharing, I hope you love this salad as much as I do! 🥰