Category: Salads

Vegan Delicata Squash Salad

With Fennel, Chinese Five Spice Pecans, & Apple Cider Vinaigrette

When the leaves start to change and the weather starts to cool, I start craving comfort food. My baking ramps up, and roasts, stews, and pastas feature heavily in the rotation for family dinners. I created this Vegan Delicata Squash Salad as a fall flavored antidote to all that heaviness. It celebrates the fresh produce of the season.

Vegan Delicata Squash Salad combines many of my favorite autumn flavors: cinnamon and clove scented pecans, creamy roasted winter squash, sweet and juicy pears, and tart apple cider! Your taste buds will be singing without adding to your waistline.

Delicata squash is my favorite winter squash. It is reminiscent of sweet potato and has a creamy texture. The skin is very thin and edible, so no need to peel! Delicata squash has become more readily available at the supermarket in recent years, but if you can’t find it you could use sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or even pumpkin (the pie variety.)

Let’s talk about fennel. This is a seriously under appreciated veggie, mainly due to the flavor descriptor “licorice.” When I think of licorice, I think of that bane of childhood Halloween candy bags: black, waxy, and gag-worthy. Yuck! But fennel tastes nothing like that. It has a delicate anise flavor. When served raw it is crisp and lightly sweet. It adds a certain something when roasted with carrots, potatoes, and onions.

Chinese five spice is a blend of cinnamon, fennel, star anise, Szechuan Peppercorns, and clove. It may also contain ginger and cardamom. It is quite a versatile spice blend, adding complexity and warmth to anything from crispy glazed chicken wings, veggie dishes, and baked goods. It definitely deserves a pot on your spice rack.

Vegan Delicata Squash Salad is filling enough for a main dish, or you can pair it with protein of your choosing.

Recipe by Katie

Vegan Autumn Delicata Squash Salad
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Vegan Autumn Delicata Squash Salad

0.0 from 0 votes
Course: Main Dishes, SaladsDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings

Ingredients

  • Candied Pecans

  • raw pecan halves

  • olive oil

  • light brown sugar

  • Lyle’s Golden Syrup

  • Chinese five spice powder

  • black pepper

  • coarse sea salt

  • Salad

  • Delicata Squash, small to medium sized

  • fennel bulb with stalks and fronds

  • packaged baby kale salad mix

  • Lacinato (dino) kale stalks

  • ripe red pears, such as Starkrimson, cored and sliced into wedges

  • extra virgin olive oil

  • coarse sea salt

  • black pepper to taste

  • Dressing

  • extra virgin olive oil

  • apple cider vinegar

  • apple cider or apple juice

  • maple syrup

  • Dijon mustard

  • fennel fronds, finely chopped

  • shallot, finely minced

  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  • Candied Pecans
  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • In a small bowl combine the pecans, 1 tbsp of olive oil, brown sugar, golden syrup, Chinese five spice powder, 2 tsp of black pepper, and 1 tsp of sea salt. Stir until coated.
  • Spread on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Bake at 350° for 7 to 10 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
  • Allow to cool and then break the candied nuts apart.
  • Dressing
  • Wash the fennel, taking care to remove any dirt. Remove some of the fronds and finely chop enough for the salad dressing. Set the remaining fennel aside.
  • Combine the ingredients in a mason jar. Make sure the lid is on tight before shaking until emulsified.
  • Taste the dressing and add additional maple syrup or seasoning if needed. Shake to combine. If possible, allow the dressing to rest for an hour to develop the flavors.
  • Salad
  • Wash and dry the squash. There is no need to peel the squash, as skin is both edible and beautiful. Slice in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulp and seeds. (The seeds are similar to pumpkin seeds and can be saved and roasted, if desired.) Slice into quarter inch thick “c” shaped pieces.
  • Place on a parchment lined pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes. The bottoms will have turned a lovely golden caramel color. Cool before assembling the salad.
  • Slice the fennel bulb into thin pieces. The stalks can also be used. They have a delicate anise flavor, but can be fibrous, so be careful to slice very thinly. Place the sliced fennel bulb and stalks in a bowl of cold water until ready to build the salad.
  • Core the pear and slice into wedges.
  • Remove the stalks from the dino kale and tear into bite sized pieces.
  • Assemble the salad. In a large bowl or on a large platter add the baby greens and the kale. Add a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette and toss with tongs to coat. Top with the fennel, squash, pear slices, and candied pecans. Drizzle with additional dressing, and enjoy!

Notes

  • Don’t have Lyle’s Golden Syrup? Substitute light corn syrup. I use Lyle’s because it is made from cane sugar rather than corn.
  • Don’t have Chine five spice? You can use cinnamon, clove, and star anise. I buy my Chine five spice at the Asian grocery store.

roasted winter vegetable salad with tahini dressing

The month of March can surprise us in the South with some bitter cold and snow!  So, I’m still thinking of hearty, satisfying dishes that are also quick and easy to make.  This dish combines creamy roasted butternut squash with crisp-tender roasted carrots and parsnips.  The dressing is used as a drizzle/accent rather than poured on. 

roasted winter vegetable salad with tahini dressing
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roasted winter vegetable salad with tahini dressing

0.0 from 0 votes
Course: Salads
Servings

4

servings

Ingredients

  • Salad

  • butternut squash

  • parsnips

  • carrots

  • baby kale salad mix

  • kosher salt

  • Dressing

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • tahini

  • lemon juice

  • honey

  • sesame seeds, plus more for garnish

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Peel and chop the butternut squash, carrots and parsnips into bite-size pieces. Place the butternut squash on a separate roasting pan, as it takes a shorter time to roast than the carrots and parsnips.  Place the carrots and parsnips on another roasting pan.  Drizzle all the vegetables with a small amount of olive oil and toss to coat. 
  • Roast the squash for 18-20 minutes or until fork tender.  Roast the carrots and parsnips for 25-30 minutes.  While still hot, sprinkle the vegetables with a little bit of kosher salt.  Let cool completely. 
  • Scrape all the vegetables into a large bowl and use a spatula to fold together.  If you over mix, the squash may start to break down.
  • Pour ¼ cup of the Tahini to a glass mixing jar (make sure that you thoroughly stir/whisk the Tahini oil into the paste so that it’s creamy and there are no lumps.) Add the ¼ cup of EVOO, 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of raw sesame seeds.  Place the top on the jar and shake thoroughly. 
  • Plate by placing a single layer of baby kale on a small plate.  Spoon a generous serving of the roasted vegetables in the center.  Drizzle a small amount of the dressing overall.   Sprinkle, very lightly, some additional sesame seeds across the top. 

Autumn Delicata Squash Salad

With Fennel, Chinese Five Spice Pecans, & Apple Cider Vinaigrette

When the leaves start to change and the weather starts to cool, I start craving comfort food. My baking ramps up, and roasts, stews, and pastas feature heavily in the rotation for family dinners. I created this salad as a fall flavored antidote to all that heaviness. It celebrates the fresh produce of the season. The squash makes this filling enough for a main dish, or you can pair it with roasted pork tenderloin.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw pecan halves
  • 3 tbsp + 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp golden syrup or corn syrup
  • 2 tbsp Chinese five spice powder
  • 2 tsp black pepper + more for seasoning
  • 1 tsp + 2 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 2 – 3 small to medium delicata squash
  • 5 oz package of baby greens (I like to use the “superfood” blend)
  • 2-3 stalks of Lacinato kale, torn into bite size pieces
  • 1 fennel bulb with stalks & fronds
  • 2 ripe red pears, such as Starkrimson, cored and sliced into wedges

For the vinaigrette

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 3 tbsp fennel fronds, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp shallot, minced
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • salt & pepper to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°. Roast the squash. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Wash and dry the squash. There is no need to peel the squash, as skin is both edible and beautiful. Slice in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulp and seeds. (The seeds are similar to pumpkin seeds and can be saved and roasted, if desired.) Slice into quarter inch “c” shaped pieces. Place on the parchment lined pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes. The bottoms will have turned a lovely golden caramel color. Cool before assembling the salad.

Make the candied pecans. In a small bowl combine the pecans, 1 tbsp of olive oil, brown sugar, golden syrup, Chinese five spice powder, 2 tsp of black pepper, and 1 tsp of sea salt. Stir until coated, and spread on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Bake at 350° for 7 to 10 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning. Allow to cool and then break the candied nuts apart.

Prepare the fennel. Wash, taking care to remove any dirt. Remove some of the fronds and finely chop enough for the salad dressing. Slice the bulb into thin pieces. The stalks can also be used. They have a delicate anise flavor, but can be fibrous, so be careful to slice very thinly. Place the sliced fennel bulb and stalks in a bowl of cold water until ready to build the salad.

Make the salad dressing. My favorite way to do this is to combine all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake until emulsified. Taste the dressing and add additional seasoning or maple syrup if needed. If you have time, make this salad at least an hour in advance of serving the salad so the ingredients have time to marry. This dressing will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.

Assemble the salad. In a large bowl or on a large platter add the baby greens and the kale. Add a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette and toss with tongs to coat. Top with the fennel, squash, pear slices, and candied pecans. Drizzle with additional dressing, and enjoy!

Recipe by Katie