Fall Kale Caesar Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash

Ready in about 35 minutes, this hearty fall kale Caesar salad is topped with roasted delicata squash, toasty breadcrumbs, and a creamy homemade vegetarian Caesar dressing. It’s a flavorful seasonal salad that’s satisfying enough for lunch or dinner and just as perfect for weeknights as it is fall gatherings and holidays.

A Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad with Roasted Squash for Fall Meals

I love a kale salad, especially in the fall! Since I find the classic Caesar salad kinda boring, I decided to give it a fall upgrade and layer in some of my favorite textures and flavors. Classic Caesar dressing is not vegetarian, so I made my own anchovy-free vegetarian Caesar dressing that is honestly so amazing on its own.

Just like my warm kale salad with lemon rosemary dressing, this is definitely a vegetarian fall salad I’ll be making over and over again! Between the creamy Caesar dressing, tender roasted delicata squash, and the nutty toasted breadcrumb mixture, this is honestly the perfect seasonal fall salad. Even though there’s a few different components, everything comes together easily in the amount of time it takes the delicata squash to roast in the oven.

JUMP STRAIGHT TO:

• Homemade Vegetarian Caesar Dressing
• Fall Kale Caesar Salad Ingredients
• How to Cut and Roast the Delicata Squash
• My Tips for Making the Best Kale Caesar Salad
• Fall Pairings for Cozy Meals

Homemade Vegetarian Caesar Dressing in Just 5 Minutes

You won’t believe how incredibly simple it is to make your own vegetarian Caesar dressing at home! I made a quicker mayonnaise based version so it’s thick, creamy, and comes together in about 5 minutes or less by simply whisking everything together. Since it’s vegetarian, there’s no anchovies and I’m using a vegetarian parmesan cheese (make with enzymes rather than rennet).

The only specialty item I included is vegan worcestershire sauce (the Whole Foods brand is naturally vegan, not sponsored). I always have some in the fridge and it’s an easy way to add a layer of umami flavor that would normally come from anchovies. If you don’t have any, an easy sub is to use tamari or soy sauce! Keep in mind that the thickness of your dressing will depend on the thickness of your mayo. If you find it too thick, whisk in a couple of splashes of milk or water.

Key Fall Kale Caesar Salad Ingredients

In general, a Caesar salad is pretty basic. For my fall version, we’re swapping in hearty kale along with delicata squash in place of the lettuce. Rather than croutons, you’ll make a quick and toasty breadcrumb mixture with panko, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and fresh thyme. We’re also making our own vegetarian Caesar dressing (more on that above!). Even though there’s parmesan in the dressing, we’re adding more to the salad. I love using my vegetable peeler to shave big pieces instead of shredding it!

Cutting and Roasting the Delicata Squash – No Peeling Required!

I really love using delicata squash in fall and winter salads like this shaved Brussels sprouts salad. It is so easy to work with because the skin is thin and edible which means absolutely no peeling required! It also has a lovely mild nutty flavor and is often one of the first winter squashes available as late summer turns into fall.

For this recipe, you’ll need just one medium delicata squash. I like to slice off the very top and bottom of the delicata, then use a sharp knife to carefully cut it in half lengthwise from top to bottom. Once you do that, you can soop out the pulp and seeds with a spoon and slice the squash for the recipe. I like half moons visually but you can dice it if you prefer!

A little hint of shallot works great in this fall salad recipe but I don’t really like the sharpness of it raw in this particular salad. I prefer to roast it along with the delicata. It doesn’t take as long as the squash so I add it during the last 10 minutes. You’ll know the delicata is ready when it’s tender and just beginning to caramelize around the edges.

My Tips for Making the Best Kale Caesar Salad

Kale salads are my absolute favorite kind of salad, but I know that they can get a bad rap for being fibrous and tough. Here are my tips for making the best kale Caesar salad:

• Kale needs to be massaged first! Add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon then get in there with both hands. The lemon juice and salt will help soften the leaves. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks glossy and has reduced in volume in the bowl.
• Toss the kale with some of the dressing first. Taste a leaf and if you want more dressing, add more to taste before tossing in the remaining salad components. I’ve found that this method prevents me from adding too little dressing or too much dressing.
• Kale needs to be seasoned! Just like anything else, a little pinch of salt does wonders in bringing out the flavors.
• I highly recommend using Tuscan kale (also called dino kale, lacinato kale, Italian kale, and cavolo nero). In my opnion, it’s much better suited for eating raw in a salad over other varieties. It has a better flavor when eaten raw and softens much easier than curly varieties.

Fall Pairings for Cozy Meals

This autumn kale salad can be enjoyed on its own for a light meal but it also works really well as part of a larger spread for weeknights, fall gatherings, vegetarian dinner parties, and holidays like Thanksgiving. My favorite pairings for this kale caesar salad with delicata squash are these stuffed portobello mushrooms with black lentils and these brown butter mashed potatoes. If you want to turn this kale caesar into more of an entree salad, I recommend adding some of my tempeh bacon bits or baked tofu nuggets on top for some added protein.

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