Name: Mexican-Inspired Kale Salad with Roasted Squash
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 2 teaspoons lime zest; ¼ cup lime juice; 2 tablespoons agave; 2 cloves garlic, (minced); Kosher salt, (as needed); Black pepper, (as needed); ½ day old baguette ((about 4 cups 1/2" cubed bread)); ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, (additional if needed); 1 clove garlic, (minced); 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro; ½ teaspoon chili powder; Kosher salt, (as needed); 1 large bunch Dinosaur or Tuscan kale, ( ribs removed and cut into a chiffonade (about 5 cups)); 1 cup roasted cubed butternut squash; 1 medium hass avocado, (pitted, peeled & cubed); ⅓ cup crumbled queso fresco; ¼ cup pepitas ((pumpkin seeds)); 2 medium radishes, (thinly sliced)

I love how all the textures in this Mexican-inspired kale salad come together; the crunch of the croutons and pumpkin seeds contrast with the creamy roasted butternut squash, avocado and queso fresco.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Kale – Dino (also known as Tuscan) kale is better than curly kale in salads because it is easier to chew. Kale doesn’t wilt as fast as lettuce so you can dress the salad in advance. This works especially well if you want to take this salad to work for lunch.
Butternut squash – Butternut squash has a sweet nutty taste similar to pumpkin. To roast the squash toss the diced squash in a bit of olive oil and bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for about 20 minutes.
Pepitas – While the pumpkin seeds you remove from the pumpkin are white and thin, pepitas are green and small and while they are indeed pumpkin seeds they only come from certain pumpkins that don’t require shelling, namely oilseed or Styrian pumpkin varieties.

How to Make Mexican-Inspired Kale Salad

Step 1: Whisk the dressing.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, agave, garlic. Season with salt and pepper then set the dressing aside until ready to use.

Step 2: Prep the croutons.

Heat the oven to 325°F (170ºC). Slice a baguette into ½-inch slices. Cut the slices into ½-inch cubes. Add to a large bowl and toss with olive oil, garlic, cilantro and chili powder. Make sure all of the pieces are lightly coated. Add more of the oil if needed. Season with salt.

stale bread cubed in bowl to make croutons

homemade croutons spread on baking sheet

Step 3: Bake the croutons.

Spread the croutons in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until the croutons are crisp and golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

Step 4: Massage the kale.

Toss ¼ cup of the dressing with the kale. Massage the dressing into the kale using your hands. Add more dressing if desired.

salad dressing massaged into kale in white bowl with hands

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

Swaps and substitutions

The roasted butternut squash can easily be swapped with sweet potatoes in this recipe.
Swap the agave for honey or maple syrup in the dressing if needed.

How to Make this Salad in Advance

The salad can easily be prepped in advance. Either prep all ingredients and dressing as components and set aside for easy mixing or massage the dressing into the kale in advance and add toppings just before serving. Because kale is a tough green it holds the dressing well without wilting.

How to Roast the Squash

Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Toss the butternut squash in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even single layer on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 20 minutes. The squash can easily be roasted in advance and reheated for easy assembly.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this Mexican-inspired kale salad recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

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