winter crunch salad
It’s been 7+ years since I graduated from culinary school and I STILL make this winter crunch salad every December — that’s how good it is! (Our curriculum was mostly plant-based, so we spent a lot of time on salads :))
The first thing that makes this salad so great is the combination of toppings. You’ve got sweet roasted squash, salty pepitas, tangy feta cheese, and pops of juicy pomegranate seeds. Piling them all atop a bed of thinly sliced kale makes for so much flavor and texture in every bite.
The second thing is the pomegranate-ginger dressing. It’s soo pretty to look at and just so delicious. If you’re able to juice fresh seeds, do it! It makes the dressing that much tastier.
how to de-seed a pomegranate
I’ve always used the “water” method with great success: slice off the top of the pomegranate, score the sides, break into sections, then plunge each into a bowl of water and work the seeds out. But recently, I came across Eden Grinshpan’s method of tapping the seeds out with a wooden spoon, and it looks even easier. Let me know what works best for you!
making this salad your own
While I opted to use butternut squash this time around, the original recipe calls for kabocha. It would also be great with delicata squash, or even sweet potatoes. Use what you like best!
You can also use salted, roasted pistachios in place of the pepitas, and another leafy green (like arugula) in place of the kale.
winter crunch salad
serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), or 1 1/2 pounds pre-cut squash
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- freshly-ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup pepitas
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 bunches Tuscan kale, thick stems removed and leaves thinly sliced (I like to stack the leaves, roll them into a tube, and then cut into thin ribbons crosswise).
- 1 large pomegranate (or 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds)
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbed (1/4 cup)
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup fresh pomegranate juice (see directions below; this can come from the same pomegranate your seeds are coming from!)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 shallot, chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Peel, seed, and slice the squash into 3/4-inch cubes, if needed.
- Arrange the squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and season with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and several grinds pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss the pepitas with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Season with the cumin, ginger, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat.
- Remove the squash from the oven, flip, and push to one side of the baking sheet. Add the pepitas and return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake until the squash is tender and the seeds are lightly toasted, 8 to 10 minutes more.
- If starting with a whole pomegranate, it's time to de-seed it. (Use your preferred method, or see my suggestions above). Then, place a few handfuls on a piece of lightly damp cheesecloth. Fold up the cheesecloth and wring out the seeds into a large liquid measuring cup until you have 1/4 cup juice. Reserve the remaining seeds for topping the salad.
- Add the juice to a blender along with the oil, vinegar, shallot, fresh ginger, Dijon, honey, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with more salt as needed.
- Add the kale to a large bowl. Drizzle with some of the dressing and toss to coat. Add the squash, pepitas, pomegranate seeds, and feta, Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle with more dressing.
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