Kale + Roasted Vegetable Salad with Maple Tahini Vinaigrette

Sep 12

Some salads feel like penance. This is not one of them.

Roasted cabbage, crispy brussel sprouts, butternut squash, white beans, tart apple and pomegranate tossed with a maple tahini vinaigrette that is creamy, sharp and just spicy enough.

All gas, no breaks.

Serves 4-6

For the Salad:

1 large bunch lacinato kale, stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
1/2 small red cabbage, thinly sliced
2 cups shaved brussel sprouts
2 cups peeled, diced butternut squash
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 granny smith apple
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

For the Maple Tahini Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup tahini
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes, or less to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 to 4 tablespoons warm water, as needed
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

How It Comes Together:

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Spread the red cabbage onto a sheet pan and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then toss until evenly coated.

On a second sheet pan, toss the shaved brussel sprouts and diced butternut squash separately with olive oil, salt and pepper. Keeping them somewhat separated makes it easier to pull the brussels if they finish before the squash.

Roast everything until deeply caramelized around the edges. The cabbage should be tender with some slightly charred pieces, the brussels should have crispy edges and the squash should be browned and creamy in the center. Depending on your oven and the size of your vegetables, expect roughly 20 to 30 minutes.

While the vegetables roast, toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside.

Add the sliced kale to a large mixing bowl with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage it with your hands for about one minute, just until the leaves soften and deepen in color. We are tenderizing the kale. Do not pulverize it.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the tahini, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, garlic, thyme and chili flakes. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, then add warm water a tablespoon at a time until the dressing is smooth and pourable. Season with salt and pepper.

Once the vegetables have cooled slightly, add the roasted cabbage, brussels, butternut squash and cannellini beans to the kale.

Thinly shave or slice the granny smith apple just before serving and add it to the bowl along with the pomegranate seeds and most of the toasted pumpkin seeds.

Drizzle generously with the maple tahini vinaigrette and toss until everything is lightly coated.

Finish with the remaining pumpkin seeds, a few extra pomegranate seeds and another crack of black pepper.

Notes From The Chef:

Roast the cabbage harder than you think. Red cabbage gets sweeter and far more interesting once the edges begin to blister and caramelize. Pale, barely cooked cabbage is not what we are doing here.

Keep the apple thin. A mandoline is ideal. The apple should bring acidity and crunch without becoming giant chunks you have to chase around the bowl.

Let the roasted vegetables cool slightly. If they go screaming hot onto the kale, everything softens too much. Warm is perfect.

Adjust the vinaigrette with water, not more oil. Tahini thickens aggressively once acid is added. Warm water turns it glossy and creamy without making the dressing unnecessarily heavy.

Cannellini beans are doing real work here. Beyond adding protein and fiber, their soft, creamy texture balances all of the crunchy and roasted elements.

Why This Works:

The entire salad is built around contrast.

You have sweet roasted squash against tart green apple. Earthy kale against caramelized cabbage. Creamy white beans against crunchy pumpkin seeds. Pomegranate brings little bursts of acid and sweetness, while the brussels add savory, crispy edges.

Then there is the dressing.

Tahini gives it body and nuttiness. Maple syrup rounds out the bitterness of the greens. Apple cider vinegar keeps everything bright. Fresh thyme makes it unmistakably fall without turning the salad into a candle scent, and chili flake gives the finish just enough warmth.

Nothing is fighting for attention. Everything has a job.