This is my go-to kale salad for a family favorite autumn dinner. It’s loaded with roasted maple delicata squash, roasted carrots & fennel, crispy chickpeas, and a pumpkin seed nut brittle, all tossed in the creamiest maple tahini dressing. Trust me, you’ll be *craving* this roasted delicata kale salad!

Roasted Delicata Squash & Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas & Maple Nut Brittle in a bowl with garlic bread on the side

Your go-to kale salad recipe of the season:

If you cringe when someone says “kale salad,” then you simply have not met the *best* kale salad to exist.

We’re talking soft, massaged olive oil kale, finely chopped and tossed with loads of roasted veggies and maple squash, crispy chickpeas, and a crunchy nut brittle.

Then it’s finished with a deliciously rich maple tahini dressing that you’ll want to bottle up for all of your fall salad recipes (okay, that and my vegan caesar dressing are awesome).

This ridiculously easy kale salad has all of the textures – crunchy, soft, and creamy – with sweet notes of maple, savory roasted veg, and deliciously tangy dressing.

kale salad in a bowl with nut brittle on the side

This is the kale salad you’ll be making over and over again for an easy weeknight dinner for the family (I always make a side of this 15 minute vegan garlic bread to go with), served alongside a cozy fall soup (like my classic pumpkin soup!) or even as a holiday side dish (my go-to for a starter for Thanksgiving).

Plus, this autumn harvest salad recipe stores amazingly even after it’s been dressed. That’s because kale is wonderfully robust, and will only get better the longer it marinates in dressing.

Ingredients overview:

  • Kale: I’ve used a variety of different kales with this salad- any will do! Curly and lacinato (Tuscan kale) are my favorite!
  • Delicata squash: You can also use butternut squash, kabocha squash, or acorn squash.
  • Carrots: Rainbow or orange work great.
  • Fennel: You can also swap in Brussels sprouts or another seasonal veggie if you prefer!
  • Chickpeas
  • Seeds & nuts: I use a variety of pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, and walnuts with some buckwheat for crunch.
  • Maple syrup
  • Tahini: You can also swap in cashew butter if preferred!
  • Olive oil
  • Cumin
  • Lemon juice
  • Soy sauce: You can use Tamari or coconut aminos if you’re gluten-free.

Overview: How to make this roasted delicata squash kale salad:

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

First, bake the squash, veggies, and chickpeas:

  1. Prep the squash, veggies, & chickpeas: Clean, slice, and dice the delicata squash, carrots, and fennel. I like to chop the carrots into match sticks. Rinse the chickpeas.
  2. Dress the veggies & chickpeas: Toss the delicata squash with maple, olive oil, and seasonings, and place onto a baking sheet with parchment paper so that each piece is laying flat on the baking sheet. Then dress the carrots, fennel, and chickpeas in olive oil and sea salt, and spread onto a separate parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  3. Roast: You’ll bake the delicata squash for 45-50 minutes, or until crispy (turning over about half way through to evenly brown each side!), and the carrots, fennel, and chickpeas for 30 minutes.

Pro chef tip: To make prepping delicata squash even easier, to cut off about 1/4 inch from both ends, or enough to reveal the seeds inside. Then take a butter knife and stick it through the opening at the top, carefully spiraling the knife through the center and scraping it around the edges. This will remove most of the seeds quickly and efficiently so that you don’t have to remove them from each individual piece. 

delicata squash before roasting
roasted delicata squash
roasted veggies on a baking sheet

Then make the brittle:

  1. Mix the ingredients together: In a small bowl, simply mix everything together with a spoon:
  2. Bake: Spread the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure the seeds and nuts are overlapping so that it will turn into a brittle.
  3. Cool & break: Once baked, remove from the oven. It will still be soft, so let the brittle cool for about 10-15 minutes. Once cooled, you’ll be able to snap the brittle into clumps for the salad.
nut brittle before baking
broken up pieces of nut brittle

Assemble the kale salad:

Now we get to assemble the salad! Here’s what to do next:

  1. Massage the kale: In your serving bowl, add in the finely chopped kale and olive oil, and with clean hands, gently rub the olive oil into the kale to massage it. This will soften the kale. Set aside.
  2. Make the dressing: Add all ingredients for the dressing into a small bowl, and whisk together.
  3. Assemble the salad: Add in the roasted delicata squash, roasted veggies, crispy chickpeas, and nut brittle. Then drizzle on the dressing (use sparingly at first, then add more to your liking), and toss together until all components are distributed throughout the salad.
  4. Serve and enjoy! Serve right away or store in the fridge to serve later!
messaged kale
dressing in a bowl
assembling the salad
assembled kale salad in a bowl

Salad variations:

  • Switch up the nuts & seeds in the brittle: If you don’t have all of the brittle ingredients or just want to try different combinations, feel free to change it up to your heart’s content! This nut and seed brittle would also be amazing with pistachios, cashews, or pecans.
  • Change up the dressings: If you’re not in the mood for a fall-inspired dressing, this salad would taste equally delicious with my vegan caesar dressing or garlic tahini dressing. Or keep it simple with the classic combo of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 
  • Add in different plant proteins: In lieu of (or in addition to!) chickpeas, you can also change up the plant-based protein. This kale salad would be wonderful with crispy tofu. I also love these lemon pepper tofu steaks from my vegan caesar salad.
  • Add pickled veggies: Top with your favorite pickles, sauerkraut or pickled veggies for a little tangy kick. 
  • Switch up your squash: Acorn, kabocha, or butternut squash would be amazing here, all with the same method (but the skin removed for the butternut!).
  • Sprinkle in your favorite vegan cheese: Spoon some vegan ricotta or your favorite brand of vegan cheese (like shaved vegan parmesan) on top for even more flavor and gourmet appeal. 
roasted kale salad in a bowl

Storage:

The best part about this salad is that it does great storing already dressed. In fact, the longer the kale marinates in the dressing, the better!

This salad does make several large portions, so if you have any leftover or want to meal prep this kale salad for lunch, you definitely can. Just simply store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
assembled kale salad in a bowl

Roasted Delicata Squash & Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas & Maple Nut Brittle

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 50
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 main salads or 8 side salads 1x
  • Category: Salads
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This is my go-to kale salad for a family favorite autumn dinner. It’s loaded with roasted maple delicata squash, roasted carrots & fennel, crispy chickpeas, and a pumpkin seed nut brittle, all tossed in the creamiest maple tahini dressing. Trust me, you’ll be *craving* this roasted delicata kale salad!

Ingredients

Scale

Roasted Delicata Squash:

  • 2 medium delicata squash
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

Roasted Fennel, Carrots, & Chickpeas:

  • 1 large bulb fennel, stems removed
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and stems removed
  • 10 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp cumin

Kale Salad:

  • 4 cups curly or lacinato kale, chopped
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp vinegar

Pumpkin Seed & Nut Brittle:

  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup hazelnuts
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup almonds
  • 2 tbsp buckwheat groats
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Maple Tahini Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 415F, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Prep the delicata squash: Clean the delicata squash thoroughly. Then slice the two end pieces and slice the delicata squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, and discard. Then cut the delicata squash into 1/2″ slices. Place the slices into a bowl, and season with maple syrup, olive oil, and sea salt. Toss to evenly coat. Set aside.
  3. Prep the carrots, fennel, and chickpeas: Clean, peel, and slice the carrots into matchsticks, followed by removing the stems of the fennel bulb, peeling off the outer layer, and dicing the fennel. Rinse the chickpeas. Then add the carrots, fennel, and chickpeas to a separate bowl, and toss together with olive oil, sea salt, and cumin. 
  4. Roast the veggies: Spread the delicata squash out onto a baking sheet, making sure all of the pieces lay flat, then spread the carrots, fennel, and chickpeas onto the other baking sheet. Place the baking sheets into the oven. You’ll roast the delicata squash for 45-50 minutes, and the carrots, fennel, and chickpeas for 30 minutes. 
  5. Prep the kale: While the veggies are roasting, clean and prep the kale. Chop the kale finely, and add it to a large serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, and with clean hands, massage the olive oil into the kale until it begins to soften (about 2-3 minutes). Set aside.
  6. Prepare the brittle: The carrots, fennel, and chickpeas should almost be ready to come out, so we’ll prepare the brittle. In a small bowl, mix together all brittle ingredients.
  7. Bake the brittle: Once the carrots, fennel, and chickpeas are done, remove the baking sheet from the oven, and spoon the roasted veggies and chickpeas onto the kale salad. Carefully place a new parchment paper sheet onto the baking sheet, and use a silicone spatula to spread the brittle onto the baking sheet. You want the nuts and seeds to all touch each other but be flat, as they will stick together once baked. Bake for 10 minutes.
  8. Make the dressing: While the brittle and the delicata squash finish baking, whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
  9. Cool the brittle: Remove the brittle (and by this time, the delicata squash as well!) from the oven, and let cool for 10-15 minutes. It’ll still be super soft, but will harden as it cools. Once cooled, you can break the brittle into chunks. 
  10. Assemble the salad: Add the delicata squash to the kale salad, along with the broken up brittle, and about 1/4 cup of dressing to start. Toss the salad to evenly coat it in the dressing, and add more until you reach your preference for a dressed salad.
  11. Serve and enjoy! This salad is great served warm or cold. See blog post for storage tips!

Equipment

Notes

See blog post for all tips & tricks!