Harvest Caesar Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate

Close-up of a butternut squash and pear harvest salad with homemade Caesar dressing

Harvest Caesar Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate

This harvest Caesar salad tosses romaine and massaged kale with roasted butternut squash, crisp pears, pomegranate, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a creamy homemade Caesar dressing. It's the perfect make-ahead Thanksgiving salad.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 376kcal

Ingredients

Salad
3 heads romaine chopped
2 cups kale chopped
2 cups cubed butternut squash
Olive oil salt, and pepper, to taste
Fresh lemon juice and salt for massaging the kale
1 to 2 pears sliced
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shaved or as crisps
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1 small red onion diced
Caesar dressing
1 large garlic clove minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 anchovy fillets finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Season the squash: Toss the cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then spread it in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Roast: Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and golden. Let cool slightly.
Start the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the garlic, lemon juice, chopped anchovies, and salt. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Finish the dressing: Whisk in the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and Parmesan until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Massage the kale: Massage the chopped kale with a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt for 2 minutes, until tender.
Toss the greens: In a large bowl, toss the kale and romaine with half the dressing.
Add the toppings: Add the roasted squash, sliced pears, pomegranate seeds, red onion, toasted pumpkin seeds, and half the Parmesan. Toss gently.
Top and serve: Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the remaining Parmesan and an extra drizzle of dressing, if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

Make ahead: Roast the squash and make the dressing up to 1 day ahead.
Toss the salad right before serving.
No anchovies: Leave them out and add a little extra Worcestershire and Parmesan.
Swaps: Use sweet potatoes for the squash, or Honeycrisp apples for the pears.
Storage: Refrigerate roasted squash and dressing separately and use within 3 to 4 days. Dressed salad is best the same day.

Nutrition