Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad with Chickpeas and Cranberries (2024)

5 from 19 votes

Print RecipePin Recipe Rate Recipe

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

• 2 lb butternut squash
• 1-2 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4-5 cups chopped curly kale
• 15 oz canned chickpeas
• 2 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• honey for drizzling
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional but delicious)

CRISPY CHICKPEA SEASONING BLEND

• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
• ⅛ tsp ground cumin
• ⅛ tsp black pepper

ZESTY ORANGE DRESSING

• 2 TBSP avocado oil or olive oil
• 2 TBSP orange juice (I juiced a mandarin orange)
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp pepper

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

• Peel and cube your squash (or snag it pre-cut from the store) and toss with 1-2 tsp oil. Season with salt and pepper (I add about 1/8 tsp of each) and place in a single layer on a greased or lined baking sheet. Set timer for 15 minutes.

• Next wash and dry your chopped kale. Add to a large bowl and drizzle kale with 1 tsp of your favorite healthy oil and a pinch of salt. Massage with your fingers until kale darkens in color and takes on a velvety texture. This little rubdown turns dry kale into a tender and delicious salad green! Set aside.

• Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.

• Now let's prep our chickpeas!Drain, rinse, and blot dry with a few paper towels. Toss with 2 tsp oil and season with 1/4 tsp salt. Place on a small baking sheet and spread them out a bit. Drizzle cranberries with a teeny bit of oil and place on the opposite side of the chickpeas.

• After the squash has been roasting for about 15 minutes (cue the timer!) add your cranberries and chickpeas to the oven and set timer for additional 20 minutes. The squash will continue roasting away as the chickpeas crisp up and the cranberries lightly roast and burst.

• Once everything is ready, pull your goodies from the oven and drizzle some fresh raw honey over the cranberries (SO GOOD!)

• Next sprinkle the seasoning blend over the hot chickpeas and mix it all up to coat.

• Top your kale with fresh from the oven squash, cranberries, and chickpeas and optional feta cheese. Serve with dressing for drizzling (whisk again before serving)and enjoy!

Recipe yields 6 servings as a side dish or 3 larger portions that would be perfect as a vegetarian entree. Enjoy!

If you have an extra large baking sheet and enough space, the chickpeas and cranberries can be added to the same sheet the squash is roasting on. Try to space them out a little to get the chickpeas nice and crispy.

Nutrition Facts below are an estimate gathered using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed with any optional add-ons and swaps.