Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad

Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad is mixed with arugula and then tossed in a creamy, homemade lemon tahini dressing.  This warm and cozy roasted vegetable salad is a quick and easy healthy winter lunch or dinner recipe.  It’s gluten-free, Paleo, vegetarian, and can easily be made Whole30 and vegan.

Want a few other roasted vegetable salad recipes?  You might also enjoy this Fall Harvest Salad and this Roasted Beet Salad.

Cozy Roasted Vegetable Winter Salad

During the summer months I tend to consume a LARGE majority of my meals in the form of a salad.

Whether making a Massaged Kale Salad, Chicken Cobb, or an Arugula Fig Salad – it seems like I can never get enough of these cold, crisp, and refreshing dishes!

And then the temperatures start dropping.  The sunny days turn to gloomy overcast skies and the last thing on my mind is a nutritious kale salad.

Instead it seems like soups and stews overwhelm our menu.

But I can tell that my body is absolutely CRAVING the nutrition from the raw greens and vegetables.

That’s when I discovered an easy fix to this wintertime salad hiatus…

All it needs to make it warm and cozy is a bit of roasted cauliflower and butternut squash!

Ingredients

This kale recipe was originally inspired by one that my good friend, Sarah, brought over for a girl’s night.

However, when I went to recreate it I was missing quite a few of the ingredients she had.

So instead of going to the grocery store or ordering Instacart, I used what I had on hand.

The following ingredients were combined and they seriously make the BEST roasted vegetable salad!

• Kale – Every salad is made exponentially more nutritious when kale is used as the main green.
• Arugula – This green gives it a spicy bite.
• Cilantro – Fresh herbs are one of my secrets to taking the flavor over-the-top.  Make sure you finely chop them so they can be evenly dispersed.
• Roasted Cauliflower – A curry flavored cauliflower is roasted in the oven until perfectly tender and crispy.
• Butternut Squash – You can make this Maple Roasted Butternut Squash recipe.  Or, you can just toss cubed squash in a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Goat Cheese – This silky smooth cheese gives just the right amount of punch to balance out the sweetness from the squash.
• Pumpkin Seeds – Roasted and salted pepitas were used, but feel free to use raw pumpkin seeds if you prefer.
• Avocado – No salad is complete without a bit of that creamy texture of an avocado.
• Lemon Tahini Dressing – A creamy, vegan dressing with just the right punch of flavor.

Lemon Tahini Dressing

A large majority of the flavor in this chopped kale and arugula salad comes from the homemade tahini dressing.

And let me emphasize the word homemade.

If you have not ventured into the world of making healthy dressings at home – you need to try it!

They are so quick, easy, and MUCH healthier than store bought brands.

Not to mention the flavors are absolutely incredible since all of the ingredients are super fresh when you make it!

Learn more about how to make this tahini dressing recipe with fresh lemon juice.

Roasted Squash and Cauliflower

OK, I already know what you might be thinking…

“That is A LOT of work to make a salad?!”

But trust me when I tell you, it’s SO worth the time it takes roast veggies in the oven!

The best way to prepare is to make the full recipe of the roasted cauliflower and butternut squash the day before.

Eat a large majority of it with your dinner on the first night. (You can make this Honey Balsamic Chicken your entree!)

And then whatever leftovers you happen to have can go into this cozy kale salad the next day!

How to Make

While the preparation does take a little bit of time to chop and roast all of the vegetables, the assembly is actually quite easy.

Below you will find the step-by-step instructions for making this dish:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Prepare curry roasted cauliflower and roasted butternut squash on a large rimmed baking sheet.

3. Place all lemon tahini dressing ingredients in a high-speed blender or a small food processor.  Blend for 20-30 seconds, or until emulsified.  (You can also add it to a small bowl and whisk by hand.)

4. Combine chopped kale, arugula, cilantro and dressing in a large bowl.

5. Toss to completely coat the greens.

6. Top salad with goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, avocado, butternut squash, and cauliflower.

Prepping Ahead

This dish can be meal prepped ahead of time.

1. Prepare the dressing, roast the vegetables, and chop the greens.
2. Store all components in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
3. On the day of serving reheat the roasted vegetables and toss to combine the salad.

FAQs

Can I use spinach or mixed greens instead of the kale?

Kale can easily be replaced for any other type of greens you might have on hand.

How can I make sure my kale isn’t bitter?

The easiest way to make kale more palatable is to finely chop it and remove the bulky stems.  This will help to reduce the bitter taste significantly.

How long will the lemon tahini dressing last?

Homemade tahini dressing will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Is this salad healthy?

As written this roasted cauliflower salad is already gluten-free, Paleo, and vegetarian.  To make it vegan, leave out the goat cheese.  For a Whole30 dish simply do not use maple syrup when roasting the butternut squash or making the salad dressing.

5 from 2 votes

Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad

Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad is mixed with arugula and then tossed in a creamy, homemade lemon tahini salad dressing.  This warm and cozy roasted vegetable salad is a quick and easy healthy winter lunch or dinner recipe.

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Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword chopped kale, easy, healthy

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 5 servings

Calories 343 kcal

London Brazil

Ingredients

• 4-6 cups kale finely chopped
• 2 cups arugula
• ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
• 2 oz. goat cheese crumbled
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds roasted and salted
• 1 large avocado cut into cubes
• 2 cups curry roasted cauliflower
• 1 cup roasted butternut squash

Lemon Tahini Dressing

• 3 Tbsp. tahini
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• ½ lemon juice and zest
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• ¼ tsp. ginger minced
• 2-3 Tbsp. water to thin out dressing

Instructions

1. Prepare curry roasted cauliflower and roasted butternut squash
.

2. Place all lemon tahini dressing ingredients in a high-speed blender, such as a Nutribullet, or a small mini-prep food processor and blend for 20-30 seconds, or until emulsified.
3. In a large bowl combine chopped kale, arugula, cilantro and dressing.
   
4. Toss to completely coat the greens.
5. Top salad with goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, avocado, butternut squash, and cauliflower.
6. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• As written this roasted cauliflower salad is already gluten-free, Paleo, and vegetarian. 
  • To make it vegan, leave out the goat cheese. 
  • For a Whole30 salad simply do not use maple syrup when roasting the butternut squash or making the salad dressing.

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 343 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 5mg2%

Sodium 86mg4%

Potassium 802mg23%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 8751IU175%

Vitamin C 101mg122%

Calcium 159mg16%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.