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Warm Roasted Winter Vegetable Salad
Sweet, caramelized acorn squash and earthy shiitake mushrooms transform a simple bed of kale into a deeply satisfying meal. You'll toss the warm roasted vegetables with chickpeas and a bright lemon Dijon dressing that softens the hearty greens perfectly. A subtle kick of cayenne pepper balances the natural sweetness of the squash, while salted almonds add a fantastic texture to finish the dish. It's a robust vegetarian main course that easily doubles as a colorful side for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1 medium acorn squash
- 1 medium red pepper
- 1 medium red onion
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces small shiitake mushrooms
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 large bunch kale
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans
- ½ cup salted almonds
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 425°F. Halve the acorn squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and membranes to discard, and cut the flesh into thin slices.
- 2Toss the sliced squash, red pepper, red onion, cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt together in a large bowl. Coating the vegetables evenly in oil ensures they roast and caramelize rather than steam.
- 3Spread the seasoned vegetables in a single layer across two large rimmed baking sheets. Leave one half of each sheet empty and roast for 10 minutes, giving the vegetables a stir halfway through.
- 4Use the same mixing bowl to coat the shiitake mushrooms with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread the mushrooms onto the empty halves of the baking sheets in the oven.
- 5Continue roasting all the vegetables together for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir them once during cooking, pulling them from the oven when the mushrooms turn crisp and the squash becomes tender.
- 6Whisk the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, the last 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a very large bowl. Drop in the kale, garbanzo beans, and salted almonds, tossing vigorously so the acidic dressing softens the hearty kale leaves.
- 7Transfer the roasted peppers, onions, and mushrooms into the kale mixture. Toss gently, then arrange the roasted squash slices over the top.
Notes
- Make ahead: You can roast the vegetables up to 2 days in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat gently before assembling.
- Storage: Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days, as the sturdy kale holds up nicely to the dressing without getting soggy.
- Swap: If you don't have acorn squash, butternut or delicata squash work beautifully in this recipe.
- Prep: To save time on busy nights, buy pre-washed and chopped kale.