Kale Pomegranate Salad

A Kale Pomegranate Salad with roasted delicata squash, farro, pumpkin seed brittle, and apples. Tossed in a dijon vinaigrette. The perfect vegan holiday salad for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

I'm not a big salad person. But this salad really hits the spot. This is a beautiful salad that everyone will enjoy. The roasted delicata squash is caramelized, soft, sweet, and earthy. Sliced apples and pomegranate arils add a lovely tartness, while the pumpkin seed brittle is toasty, sweet, and crunchy. Farro adds a nice bit of protein and heartiness. Finish it off with a maple dijon vinaigrette!

Why This Recipe Works

• Cozy & comforting! The roasted squash adds a bit of comfort to this salad, along with the farro. The pumpkin brittle is sweet and festive, and the kale is dressed with a sweet and tangy vinaigrette that is so enjoyable!
• A colorful and impressive dish for the holiday table. This kale salad is bursting with color! From the tangy and bright pomegranate arils to the bright yellow, caramelized squash, and the dark, leafy greens. Be sure to double or triple this recipe if serving a crowd because it will go fast. 🙂
• So many flavors and textures. The squash is soft and delicious, the brittle is crunchy, the pomegranate arils will pop in your mouth, and the apples are juicy and a little crunchy too. This salad is sweet and savory with just the right amount of holiday spice and tanginess.
• A hearty vegan salad. The farro really helps make this a hearty and filling salad, but the squash adds that bit of comfort and satisfying texture and flavor. This kale pomegranate salad can easily be enjoyed on its own as a well-rounded meal, but it does make a lovely starter for any holiday table.

Health Benefits of Kale

This Kale Pomegranate Salad has so many incredible health benefits because of the abundance of fruits and vegetables in it, along with the protein-rich whole grain, farro. But on its own, kale is full of nutrients!

Full of vitamins & antioxidants: Kale is especially high in vitamins K, C, and A, along with manganese, riboflavin, and calcium. It's high in antioxidants, including beta-carotene, various flavonoids, and polyphenols.

How to Massage Kale

It's important to massage kale to help it break down and become soft and flavorful. I like to massage the kale with a touch of oil. You'll want to be careful not to use too much or the kale will get soggy. Use just enough so that you can massage all of the kale and help it turn dark green. It's easiest to use both hands with the kale in a large bowl. Then massage away! No need to overdo it here. 🙂

How to Remove Pomegranate Seeds

This is actually way more fun than it sounds. Once you slice the pomegranate in half. Place a large bowl in the sink. Then place the pomegranate half, seed-side face down, into your palm over your fingers. Use your non-dominant hand to hold the pomegranate. Then with your dominant hand, whack the pomegranate firmly with a wooden spoon. The seeds will fall out into the bowl. If they don't fall out, you're not whacking hard enough. Go ahead, release your stress. 😉

Ingredients

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Olive oil helps the remaining ingredients not stick to the pan. Brown sugar and maple syrup add sweetness and depth of flavor, water combines with the sugar to create a syrupy texture. Cinnamon adds a lovely festive flavor. Pumpkin seeds make up the texture and crunch of this brittle.

Roasted Delicata Squash

Delicata squash is roasted to caramelized perfection with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Kale Pomegranate Salad

Pomegranate arils and apples add a tart flavor to the salad. The pomegranate adds juiciness, while the apples add a little crunch. Kale gives the salad its dark, leafy green base. Olive oil is massaged into the kale to bring out its flavor and soften its texture. Cooked farro adds a bit of texture, protein, and savory flavor.

Dijon Vinaigrette

The vinaigrette is made with dijon mustard for a pungent, sharp flavor, lemons for bright citrus, red wine vinegar for acidity, olive oil for subtle earthiness and smooth texture, maple syrup for sweetness, black pepper for a punchy kick, and salt to help enhance all of the flavors.

How to Make this Kale Pomegranate Salad

Make the pumpkin brittle. Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once warm, add the brown sugar, water, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Stir, then turn heat to medium low. Add the pumpkin seeds. Stir to combine everything and let simmer until the liquid is gone. About 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 5 minutes. Be careful to check frequently as this can burn easily! Every oven is different. When done, remove from the oven and let cool. Use a metal spatula to break into large pieces. You can further break them with your hands.

Roast the squash. With the oven still at 425F, prepare the delicata squash. Slice each in half lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Slice into half moons and arrange on a baking sheet. Use parchment paper if needed. Season generously with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast for 12-15 minutes, removing halfway to stir and flip around the pieces. Check periodically for doneness as all ovens differ.

Prep the salad ingredients. While the squash is roasting, slice the pomegranate in half and remove the seeds. I like to hold one half over a bowl in the sink (seed-side facing down) and whack it firmly with a wood spoon so the seeds fall into the bowl. Slice the apple paper-thin. Remove the kale leaves from their stems, then chop roughly. Add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle a little olive oil over top—not too much! Just enough to be able to massage some oil into the leaves with your hands. Massaging the leaves turns them dark green and makes them soft and much more enjoyable to eat.

Make the dressing. Whisk together all of the ingredients. Taste and adjust.

Assemble the salad. Add the farro, squash (yes, you can eat the skin!), apples, pomegranate arils, and pumpkin brittle to the bowl with the kale. Toss to combine well, then add desired amount of dressing. You can always serve the dressing on the side too.

Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

• Pumpkin seed brittle: Feel free to add any festive spices you'd like to! Pumpkin spice, nutmeg, cardamom, or a pinch of cloves would all add a nice touch.
• Roasted delicata squash: You can use any type of winter squash here! Try roasted pumpkin, acorn, butternut, or honeynut squash.
• Fruit: Pomegranate arils and apples are used in this salad, but you could also add any kind of citrus, pears, or cranberries.
• Kale: I used curly kale, but lacinato or other types of dark, leafy greens would work well too.
• Farro: While you can use any whole grain here, I particularly think farro, black rice, or wild rice are the best options!
• Dijon vinaigrette: You can substitute the vinegar for apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.

Storage

If you are making this Kale Pomegranate Salad for Thanksgiving or Christmas and you wish to make it in advance, you can prep it up to 8 hours ahead of time. Don't toss it with dressing and store the dressing in a separate jar. If you wish, you can also store the squash separately so you can heat them up in the oven before topping them on the salad. Bring the dressing and the salad to room temp before serving.

While this salad is best enjoyed fresh the day it's made, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. I recommend storing the dressing in a jar separately.

What to Serve with this Kale Pomegranate Salad

This vegan holiday salad is the perfect dish to bring to Thanksgiving or Christmas or to any holiday party! But if you wish to enjoy this salad as a starter before dinner, here are some recipes that would pair perfectly. 🙂

• Tofu Steak with Mashed Sweet Potato
• Thai Butternut Squash Soup
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Tofu Ricotta Lasagna
• Harvest Bowl with Maple Tahini Sauce
• Vegan Supreme Pizza

I can't wait to hear what you think about this salad! 🙂 Enjoy!

More Vegan Holiday Recipes!

• Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower with Spicy Tahini Sauce
• Harissa Roasted Carrots
• Roasted Garlic Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
• Thai Green Beans
• Sourdough Garlic Bread

📖 Recipe