Fall Harvest Baked Salad
The baked salad trend that hit social media last fall, thanks to food influencer Justine Snacks, is poised to warm our plates for another season. And we’re so glad it is.
While there’s lots to love about this Fall Harvest Baked Salad — the crispy kale and cabbage, the roasted veggies, the pumpkin spice — its approachability ranks top on our list. If you’re a bring-your-lunch-to-work (or your home desk) type of person, this salad is a super hearty choice. But it’s just as great as a satisfying weeknight meal or robust side dish.
Second on our love list for this salad is its adaptability. While you won’t find any meat in this recipe, you could easily add it in — grab a Lunds & Byerlys deli rotisserie chicken or cook up a chicken thigh with crispy skin. Sub the honey in the dressing for agave and you could even take it from vegetarian to vegan.
But perhaps the real star of this salad is the Black Fatsu. Black Fatsu is an heirloom Japanese pumpkin known for its attractive, deeply ribbed, bumpy (and edible!) skin and crisp, bright orange interior. When cooked, this squash takes on a deep flavor similar to roasted chestnuts and a smooth, creamy texture. It pairs so nicely with the sweet nuttiness of the pumpkin spice. When it all comes together, this salad is warm, cozy and comforting — everything you want in both a trend and a meal this time of year!
4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the baked salad:
1 small Black Fatsu pumpkin or 2 medium delicata squash, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup quinoa, cooked to package instructions
¼ teaspoon L&B Pumpkin Spice
½ green cabbage, halved, cored and thinly sliced
1 bunch Lacinato kale, thinly sliced
For the honey-sage dressing:
¼ cup organic extra virgin olive oil
10 medium sage leaves
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 small shallot, minced
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- To roast the vegetables: Evenly space 3 racks in the oven and heat to 400 F. Line 3 sheet pans with parchment paper.
- On one sheet pan, spread the sliced pumpkin or squash. Drizzle it with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Toss to coat.
- On the second sheet pan, spread the cooked quinoa. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with the pumpkin spice. Season with salt and black pepper. Toss to coat.
- On the third sheet pan, spread the cabbage, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Toss to coast.
- Transfer the sheet pans to the oven and roast for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin or squash is tender and starting to caramelize, the quinoa is golden and lightly crispy and the cabbage is slightly browned.
- Stir the kale into the cabbage and continue roasting the squash, quinoa and cabbage for 5 minutes.
- To make the vinaigrette: In a small pot, combine the olive oil, sage and garlic. Heat over medium heat until the sage and garlic begin to sizzle. Cook for 5 minutes or until the garlic is golden brown.
- Strain the oil into a small bowl and set the aromatics aside for garnish. Whisk in the vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey and shallots, and season with salt and black pepper.
- To serve, divide the roasted pumpkin, cabbage and kale among serving bowls. Drizzle with the honey-sage dressing and garnish with the crispy quinoa, garlic and sage leaves.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe adapted from: Justine Snacks
This recipe is brought to you by Nourish, our guide to eating a variety of whole foods that expand your palate, give you more energy and help you live a balanced life. If you love it, check out the entire Nourish collection.
