The Thanksgiving salad is the perfect addition to your holiday tables featuring hearty kale, roasted squash, juicy pears and a hot honey infused toasted pecan vinaigrette.
Thanksgiving hot take: you need a really great salad.
When it comes to Thanksgiving I love it all. I also think the key to a memorable spread is a balance of flavors, textures and colors. This salad provides just that: something raw and fresh to counter the richness of the other dishes. It works so beautifully! It’s also dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and it’s easy to prep most of the components ahead of time.
The best Thanksgiving salad features all of the best flavors of the season and is tied together with a punchy homemade dressing. We’ve got it all. Here’s what you need to make it.
Ingredients
- kale
- butternut squash
- red pear
- toasted pecans
- dressing: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, hot honey, garlic
- spices: salt, cinnamon
Tips for Prepping this Salad Ahead of Time
- Roast the butternut squash up to one day ahead
- Chop the kale up to one day ahead
- Toast the pecans up to two days ahead
I don’t recommend making the dressing ahead of time because it will solidify a bit in the fridge. Slice the pear just before serving to prevent browning.
Plating a Beautiful Thanksgiving Salad
My favorite way to present this salad, like many others, is to serve on a platter instead of a bowl. This allows you to get a little of everything in each bite, with nothing sinking to the bottom.
- Start by scattering the dressed kale
- Add the roasted butternut squash
- Fan the pears in a few groups
- Sprinkle with the pecans
- Top with additional dressing, as needed
FAQs and Ingredient Substitutions
I hear you! First I’ll say the kale in this recipe is pulsed in the food processor so it’s very finely chopped. This makes it a lot easier to eat and a little more approachable, even to the non-kale lovers out there.
If you still aren’t sure, you can also sub in arugula with these changes: add a little water to the dressing to make it thinner, then very lightly toss the arugula in the dressing instead of massaging like you would the kale. Do this just before serving since the arugula is a lot more delicate.
Leave out the pecans and the dressing should still be great. Leave off the pecans from the salad.
I love contributing this salad when I’m a guest for Thanksgiving. It looks beautiful on the table, provides a welcome serving of extra vegetables and doesn’t take up any oven space from the host.
Enjoy!
Watch me make this Thanksgiving Salad on Instagram.
More Thanksgiving Recipes:
- Whipped Goat Cheese
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing
- Bourbon Apple Ginger Fizz
The Thanksgiving Salad
The Thanksgiving salad is the perfect addition to your holiday tables featuring hearty kale, roasted squash, juicy pears and a hot honey infused toasted pecan vinaigrette.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Salads
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 medium butternut squash, chopped into 1” cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup toasted pecans
- 1 large bunch curly kale with stems removed
- 1 red pear, sliced
Hot Honey Pecan Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup toasted pecans
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hot honey
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add squash cubes to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, tossing to coat. Add salt and cinnamon and toss again. Transfer to the lined baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until tender and browned around the edges.
- Place the kale in a food processor and pulse a few times until lightly shredded (but not pulverized).
- Make the dressing: transfer the kale to a large bowl and wipe out the food processor. Add pecans, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, hot honey, garlic and salt. Run until smooth and pourable, adding a little water if necessary.
- Drizzle ⅔ of the dressing over top of the kale and massage with clean hands until bright green and slightly broken down. Transfer the kale to a serving platter and top with roasted squash cubes, sliced pears and pecans. Drizzle with remaining dressing as desired just before serving.
Notes
- The equipment section above includes affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and recommend.
Nutrition
- Calories: 228 calories
- Fat: 19 grams
- Carbohydrates: 15 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
Photos taken by Kaleigh McMordie.
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Jacob says
Made this for a Friendsgiving and it was a hit! Quick to make, lots of flavors and a nice, light salad option to offset the Turkey and other starchy sides. You will want to make this!
Jacob says
Adding 5 stars!
Leanne says
So glad it was a hit for you!