Fall Panzanella Salad

A salad is a great side dish but doesn’t always have what it takes to be a main course. I know I’m not the only one who ends up craving carbs after eating salad. But with bread toasted in olive oil, roasted squash, and cheese, this salad can stand alone.

Bring this recipe to your Thanksgiving meal for a healthy option that will make you feel better about that second helping of mashed potatoes you know you are going to have. I served it on Susty Party Square Bagasse Desert Plates which are impossibly chic for disposable plates. I may even use them for Thanksgiving and then no one has to fight over who has to do the dishes.

Susty Party is giving The Naked Fig readers $10 off with the promo code “nakedfig”. 

Ingredients: 

1/2 butternut squash

4 cups kale (stemmed and not packed)

1/2 loaf of crusty bread (I used a sourdough olive loaf)

3 tbs olive oil

seeds of 1 pomegranate

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese or shaved parmesan (optional)

Dress with:

1/8 cup olive oil

Balsamic Vinegar to taste

salt +pepper

Add kale to a large salad bowl. Cut butternut squash in half and bake face down in a casserole dish with a thin layer of water in a preheated 400 degree oven. Or, if you are in a hurry, cut butternut squash into smaller pieces and cook for about 7 minutes or until soft in boiling water. Remove peel and slice cooked squash into 1/2 inch cubes and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Slice bread into 1/2 inch cubes and add to hot pan. Cook until toasted and light brown. Add the squash, bread cubes, pomegranates, and cheese to the kale and squash. Dress with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper and serve.