This healthy fall superfood salad features roasted butternut squash, pecans, pomegranate seeds, and a creamy orange-cinnamon vinaigrette—an ideal autumn meal.
There’s something undeniably better about being served a meal by someone else—cafés, my mom, or a friend at a restaurant. Even when I prepare the same dishes at home, they somehow taste more special when someone else brings them to the table.
I usually skip making salads at home because, frankly, other people often do them better. But this time I made an exception—I made an exceptional salad myself.
I prepared it alone, plated it on a new dish, ate it in quiet, and smiled—more than once.
If you’ve followed this blog more than a day, you know I’m obsessed with hemp seeds. Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts have been a go-to in my kitchen for years. Hemp hearts are raw, shelled hemp seeds with a mild, slightly nutty flavor similar to sunflower seeds or pine nuts.
They’re one of the highest-protein seeds, and I especially appreciate their omega-3 content. Per serving, hemp hearts deliver about 10 grams of easy-to-digest protein and 10 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. Compared with flax and chia, they’re a nutritional winner in my book.
Hemp hearts are incredibly versatile. Their subtle flavor lets them blend seamlessly into many dishes. I use them in salad dressings to add healthy fats and a silky texture.
For me, fall means squash, and squash means warm spices like cinnamon. Paired with tender baby kale, crunchy pecans, and bright pomegranate seeds, this salad balances seasonal flavors and textures.
Baby kale is milder and more tender than mature kale, making it perfect for salads that don’t require a long massage to become palatable. This recipe is ideal for meal prep—you can toss everything with the dressing and store it in a container for lunches all week without worrying about a separate dressing cup leaking.
Seriously, make this salad. It’s simple, nourishing, and full of fall flavors.
Fall Superfood Salad with Butternut Squash and Orange Cinnamon Dressing
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- Author: Alexis Joseph
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Packed with the best of fall produce, this superfood salad tossed in an orange-cinnamon vinaigrette is a bright, light lunch or side that highlights seasonal ingredients.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- ½ butternut squash, cubed
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 5 oz package baby kale
- 1 pomegranate, seeds removed
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ bunch green onions, chopped (or ½ small red onion, sliced)
- 3 tbsp Hemp Hearts
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Hemp Hearts
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Spread the cubed butternut squash on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with melted coconut oil, sprinkle with cinnamon and salt, and toss to coat. Roast for about 30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
- While the squash roasts, combine the baby kale, pomegranate seeds, chopped pecans, green onions, and Hemp Hearts in a large bowl.
- Blend the dressing ingredients—orange juice, olive oil, Hemp Hearts, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper—until smooth and creamy. A blender or immersion blender works well.
- Add the warm roasted squash to the salad, drizzle with the orange-cinnamon dressing, and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately or pack for lunches.
This post was sponsored by Manitoba Harvest. Thanks for supporting the brands that make this content possible.