The perfect salad for fall! This Autumn kale quinoa salad is made with a hearty base of kale and quinoa and topped with seasonal ingredients like pumpkin and apricot for a hearty fall salad perfect for meal prep.
The leaves are changing and the temperatures are dropping, which means it is officially time to break out the pumpkin recipes.
Autumn Kale Quinoa Salad
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Perfect for meal prep or large gatherings! I love a LARGE salad that's hearty enough to be a filling meal and doesn't get soggy if made in advance.
- Great source of fiber. 95% of North Americans aren't reaching their fiber goals, so finding ways to increase fiber such as adding chickpeas to this autumn quinoa salad is the perfect way to help improve that!
- Seasonal produce. One of the best ways to save money grocery shopping is taking advantage of local, seasonal produce options. This salad uses kale and pumpkin, two produce options that are perfect for autumn!
Ingredients
- Sugar pumpkin: Pumpkin doesn't only need to be in sweet recipes! For this recipe we roast a small sugar pumpkin. In fact, I do not recommend using a larger variety of pumpkin as it will alter the flavor of this recipe.
- Quinoa: White or tri-coloured quinoa will both work for this quinoa salad.
- Chickpeas: For added fiber and plant-based protein we add cooked chickpeas.
- Kale: Our leafy green base of choice. In most of my kale salad recipes, I use curly kale as it has a more mild flavor than Dino kale!
- Dried apricots: For a touch of sweetness!
- Parsley: I also love mixing fresh parsley in with my kale salads to add a little more freshness.
- Feta: For a salty addition.
- Pumpkin seeds: Look for roasted hull-less pumpkin seeds (these are also called pepitas)! They will be smaller and green in color compared to the pale, white variation that come straight out of the pumpkin!
- Green onions: For a mild onion flavor we use the greens and whites of green onions.
- For the maple lemon dressing: maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, cayenne pepper, cumin, olive oil
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
- Step 1: Peel, de-seed and slice pumpkin into 1 inch pieces. Arrange pumpkin on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and chili powder. Bake at 425F for 30 minutes. Set aside.
- * I also recommend cooking your quinoa now as well.
- Step 2: To a large bowl add chopped kale. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Then massage the oil into the kale, to soften the leaves. This creates a less bitter taste!
- Step 3: Make dressing by whisking together maple syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, ground cayenne pepper, and ground cumin.
- Step 4: Assemble salad by add all toppings to the kale. Then drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: This autumn salad is naturally gluten free!
To make dairy-free: The only ingredient that is not dairy free in the recipe is the feta cheese. Any vegan cheese substitute will work great!
To make nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut free!
This salad is great to customize! Some other easy additions or substitutions include:
- Apple: adding a diced sweet apple such as gala or honey crisp will add the perfect amount of sweetness!
- Pumpkin can be replaced with roasted sweet potato or butternut squash (bonus: both are seasonal)!
- Dried apricots can be replaced with dried cranberries
- Pumpkin seeds can be replaced with chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans
- Feta can be replaced with Parmesan or aged cheddar for a sharper cheese option
- Kale can be replaced with arugula however please note the arugula will get soggy if stored more than a few hours with the dressing!
Equipment
Storage
This autumn kale quinoa salad is the perfect option to be made ahead of time! Whether you are looking for a meal prep quinoa salad or a large make ahead salad for the holidays this is a winner! Once prepared this salad can be stored (with the dressing) for up to 4-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Because of the kale- this salad will not get soggy and actually tastes BETTER when allowed to soak in the dressing.
Top Tips for Success
Save time by roasting the pumpkin and making the quinoa ahead of time! That way all you need to do is assemble the salad.
For an EASIER option: use frozen butternut squash (there is no need to defrost it first- just add it to the sheet pan and bake)!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This is the perfect salad to be made ahead of time. I love using kale as a base in salads because it's heartier and absorbs the dressing so it doesn't get soggy when stored for more than a few hours!
More Staple Salad Recipes
See you in the kitchen!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this autumn kale quinoa salad, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Autumn Kale Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 sugar pumpkin
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 6 cups curly kale chopped with leaves and stems removed
- 1 cup parsley chopped
- 540 mL chickpeas 1 can rinsed and drained
- ½ cup dried apricots chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ½ cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
For the maple lemon dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Roast the pumpkin: Peel, de-seed and slice pumpkin into 1 inch pieces (pierce the pumpkin with a fork before microwaving for 1-2 minutes to soften the skin and make it easier to cut).
- Arrange pumpkin on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and chili powder. Bake at 425F for 30 minutes. Set aside.
- While the pumpkin is roasting, cook quinoa according to package instructions.
- Prepare the salad: To a large bowl add chopped kale. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Massage the oil into the kale, to soften the leaves. This creates a less bitter taste!
- Make dressing: by whisking together maple syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, ground cayenne pepper, and ground cumin.
- Assemble salad by add all toppings to the kale. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.
Notes
- Pumpkin can be replaced with roasted sweet potato or butternut squash (frozen also works great and doesn't need to be defrosted before roasting)!
- Dried apricots can be replaced with dried cranberries
- Pumpkin seeds can be replaced with chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans
Erin says
I made this recipe with squash and it was great! If I were to substitute sweet potatoes, how much would you substitute? I have never even seen a sugar pumpkin so it’s hard to gauge how to convert the amount! Thank you!
Nicole Addison says
Hi Erin, I would use about 2 sweet potatoes (yielding about 2 cups)!
Amanda says
I made this yesterday for lunches this week. I was so pleased I already had my lunch ready today and it was super tasty! I added some chicken on top and it was so good. I think I might make an extra thing of the salad dressing because the salad soaked it right up and I want that fresh dressing taste each time I eat it this week. Thanks for a yummy recipe!
Heidi says
This is a seriously delicious salad. It's so hearty and satisfying. Thank you for sharing your healthy cooking. 💖
Nicole Addison says
The PERFECT salad for holidays or meal prep featuring seasonal fall produce! I hope you love this one.