Description
This roasted squash and kale salad with caramelized lemon dressing and crispy chickpeas is a hearty, nutrient-packed sheet pan recipe that’s easy, flavorful, and perfect for fall.
Ingredients
- Avocado oil, as needed
- Kosher salt, as needed
Chickpea Crispies
- 1, 15oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and pat dry
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Squash and Kale Salad
- 1 lb delicata squash, halved, seeds removed and thinly sliced
- 8 stalks lacinato kale, stems removed and thinly sliced
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves, minced
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
Caramelized Lemon Dressing
- 1 large lemon
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Place a small greased pan over medium low heat.
- Fully zest the lemon into a blender cup, then cut the lemon in half. Place the lemon halves cut side down into the pan and allow to cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes or until the bottoms have browned and caramelized. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Squeeze the lemon juice into the blender cup then add the garlic, mustard, vinegar, syrup, oil, and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend the dressing until thickened and creamy. Add the parsley, and pulse a few times to evenly mince. Taste and adjust the salt or sweetener as desired.
- Add the kale to a bowl and add 1-2 spoons of the dressing overtop with a pinch of salt. Massage the dressing into the kale until it has softened and shrunk down in size then set aside.
- To a separate small bowl, add the onion, lemon, vinegar, maple syrup, parsley and a generous pinch of salt. Massage the ingredients into the onions, then stir in the raisins and set aside.
- Place the chickpeas in a bowl and mash with a fork. Transfer the chickpeas to a baking sheet then top with the thyme and 1 tablespoon oil. Toss to evenly coat, spread out evenly on the tray, and bake for 15 minutes. Top with the garlic powder, a generous pinch of salt and 1 tsp oil and stir well to coat using a spoon. Spread out again and place back in the oven for about 10 minutes or until golden and crisp (to make sure nothing burns, give the chickpeas a stir every 5 minutes). Allow the chickpeas to fully cool.
- Scatter the sliced squash on the second tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon (or more oil as needed), a pinch of salt and pepper then toss together to evenly coat. Spread the squash out in a single layer on the tray then bake on the bottom rack for 15 minutes or until the bottoms begin to get golden brown. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt when out of the oven.
- Top the tray of squash with the massaged kale, pickled onions, and pumpkin seeds. Toss everything together on the tray then portion the salad into serving bowls. Top each bowl with a portion of the chickpea crispies and drizzle with a few more spoons of the dressing as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Roasting veggies. For the best results, make sure to spread out your vegetables on the baking tray into a single layer. This will ensure your vegetables don’t steam on top of each other and instead get properly caramelized.
Bump up the protein. Shred some tempeh using a box grater to roast along with the chickpeas. This will give you a flavorful high protein crumble mix.
Save time. Use a pre-shredded kale or Brussels sprout mix to save on cleaning and chopping. I personally love the cruciferous crunch salad mix from Trader Joe’s. Store bought roasted chickpea snacks can save you time from roasting your own. Instead of caramelizing your lemon, just stick to a basic lemon vinaigrette. Or, try this with a store-bought vinaigrette you love.
