Kale and Pomegranate Salad with Quinoa, Feta, and Red Kuri Squash
Wanna save this recipe for later? 📬
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!
Nutrition
Calories: 463kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 17gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 379mgPotassium: 868mgFiber: 8gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1630IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 236mgIron: 4mg
Did you make this?! 👀Let everyone know how it was! 💕
Keyword: dinner, fall, lunch, meal prep, weeknight meal, winter