Alyssa Ponticello // In Good Taste

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Fall Salad with Delicata Squash

Alyssa Ponticello

Fall Salad with Delicata Squash

originally published October 7th, 2014, last updated October 12th, 2022

So much has changed since I first jotted down this fall salad post just a little over 8 years ago to the day.

For obvious starters, the pictures are far more appetizing. Probably because they don’t involve a floral platter like the old photos did. Because nothing makes you want to eat a fall salad quite like some bright florals, am I right? (Apparently, 28 year-old me must have missed that memo that bright florals for fall is NOT groundbreaking. *insert palm to forehead emoji*)

And then of course we have the words. A nice toss of run-on sentences and statements that make zero sense. I sure know how to sell a recipe, don’t out?!

Last but certainly not least, we have the star of the show, the fall kale salad with roasted delicata squash. Believe it or not, when I initially developed this recipeI had just discovered and tried delicata squash for the first time. EVER. Which is crazy to think about given that it’s just about the only squash I eat these days. Because let’s be real, it’s the superior squash. I mean, have you seen the way it roasts? Getting all nice and caramelized and golden brown and delicious. I swear it tastes like candy. I’m honestly drooling just thinking about it. Not to mention, you can eat the skin and the seeds, so no peeling and scooping and extra work involved, which in itself is enough to make someone drool! Ha!

But I digress from the salad recipe at hand…

So, salad ingredients. I actually have kept most of them the same…I mean, you can’t go wrong with a hearty kale and farro situation for fall. I have swapped the original pears for apples because I want a little more crunch in my salads but pears are still totally acceptable. I’ve also added some fall salad favorites, chopped dates and hazelnuts, for additional texture and flavor. Of course, there’s still the goat cheese (or parm) for a hit of creaminess and everything is finished off with a maple dressing that is still as incredible as the day I created it. But also, because it’s a fall recipe so it just felt wrong not to include a little maple in there somewhere. And omg! Whatever you do don’t sleep on adding in the roasted garlic. Just trust me on this one!

Eight years later and this is still, by far, one of my favorite fall salads, a salad so good that I could truly eat it every day. A salad so good that no bright florals could truly ever get in the way and come between me and my love for this salad! Like if the only way I get to eat this salad is off a floral platter, then you best believe I’m taking that floral platter. Every. darn. day. Yup, it’s really that delicious. But also…you’re welcome for the updated photos that more properly portray just how good this salad is when it’s not being overwhelmed by bright floral prints! Haha Either way, however you choose to enjoy this salad, I hope you do just that, enjoy it (or, at the very least enjoy these new and improved photos! Ha!).

INGREDIENTS

SALAD

  • 1 delicata squash

  • Olive oil

  • Sea salt

  • 6 cloves of garlic, peeled

  • 1 bunch lacinto kale (about 8 ounces)

  • 1 cup of farro, cooked + cooled

  • 1/2 an apple, thinly sliced

  • 1/3 cup roughly chopped dates

  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts

  • 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese or goat cheese crumbles 

DRESSING

  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons of maple syrup

  • 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard (I like to use a grainy one, but regular is fine, too)

  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

  • 2 cloves of the garlic roasted with the squash

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

  2. Wash the squash well with warm water, then cut off any knobs or spots as well as the ends. Slice the squash into thin slices, about 1/4” thick, then lay them out in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. I like to keep the seeds as they get nice and crispy and they add a little extra crunch to the finished salad, but feel free to remove them. Add the garlic cloves to the baking sheet, as well. Then drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt (adding more or less based on your preferences). Bake for 10 minutes. Then gently flip the pieces over and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven. Set aside.

  3. To make the dressing, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, pepper and roasted garlic to a small bowl. Whisk until combine. For the garlic, I like to use my fingers to squeeze the garlic a bit so that the cloves kind of open up and can then more easily mix into the dressing. You could also use a blender, immersion blender or food processor to make this dressing for a creamier, smoother consistency.

  4. To assemble the salad, place the kale on serving dish. Add on the farro, then the squash slices and the apple slices. I then like to use my hands to gently break up the roasted garlic gloves across the salad (you could also roughly chop it, then add it in). Sprinkle on the dates and hazelnuts, then the cheese and finish by drizzling the dressing across the top. Serve immediately.

NOTES

  • Serve alone for a lighter meal, or with sausages and a crusty bread for a heavier, more filling meal.

  • This salad is vegetarian. To make it dairy-free and vegan, simply eliminate the goat cheese. Try substituting quinoa for the farro to make this salad gluten-free.

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