Paprika Roasted Squash and Apple Salad with Ginger Tahini

A simple and flavour-packed seasonal winter salad of roasted squash, apple and crunchy kale. Finished with a ginger tahini dressing, crunchy walnuts and juicy pomegranate seeds, this salad is a vegan, gluten-free and delicious lunch or dinner.

Roasted vegetable salads are my absolute favourite, especially in winter. There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of richly warming roasted vegetables. There is also nothing more invigorating than a vibrant display of plant-based foods at their finest, jazzed up with a zingy fiery dressing.

Paprika Roasted Squash and Apple Salad with Ginger Tahini

This Paprika Roasted Squash and Apple Salad with Ginger Tahini has it all and it is a really simple recipe. It is great to batch cook or meal prep at the weekends and throw all the components together for a healthful and nourishing meal. Simply roast the squash with some olive oil and smoked paprika, adding in some sliced apple, too. Using fruits in savoury meals is such a game-changer, I hope you’ll agree.

The base of the salad is kale or cavolo nero, massaged with some white or apple cider vinegar which to break down the leaves and ease digestion. If you are not a fan, you can use spinach or rocket, too. Roasted walnuts and pomegranate add some crunch to the salad, while the avocado adds a great creamy element, as does the tahini.

Tahini dressings are my favourite, as my recipes, Tahini Noodle Satay Salad, Moroccan Cauliflower Rice with Dates Toasted Cashews and Tahini and Wild Rice Stuffed Butternut Squash with Glazed Walnuts and Tahini Cream prove, as they are so easy and so tasty. Stir together the tahini (sesame seed paste) with some tamari soy sauce for depth of umami flavour, lemon juice for tang, fresh (or ground) ginger for heat and garlic for savouriness. Drizzle it all over generously for a great tasting salad.

Paprika Roasted Squash and Apple Salad with Ginger Tahini

Paprika Roasted Squash and Apple Salad with Ginger Tahini

You can serve this salad with grains, crackers, bread… you name it. I’ve served it here with some Roasted Pumpkin and Ginger Seed Crackers I was gifted from Erbology. They’re personalised crackers based on my flavour preferences and they got it spot on!

I hope you’ll enjoy this winter Paprika Roasted Squash and Apple Salad with Ginger Tahini – it’s so easy and has so much flavour, texture and colour. It is naturally vegan and gluten-free while being healthy, packed with fruits and vegetables and perfect for lunch or dinner. It comes together in 45 minutes or much less if you pre-roast the vegetables.

If you are looking for more ways to enjoy roasted vegetables, how about my Zhoug Roasted Aubergines with Chickpeas, Tamari Roasted Cauliflower and Pear Rice Salad or Lentil Stuffed Butternut Squash with Chesnut Brussel Sprouts.

Paprika Roasted Squash and Apple Salad with Ginger Tahini

• Servings: 2
• Time: 45 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

A simple and flavour-packed seasonal winter salad of roasted squash, apple and crunchy kale. Finished with a ginger tahini dressing, crunchy walnuts and juicy pomegranate seeds, this salad is a vegan, gluten-free and delicious lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

• 400g squash, sliced into rounds or pieces
• 1 large apple, sliced into rounds
• Olive oil
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 4 large handfuls cavolo nero and kale (mixed), de-stemmed and torn
• 1 tbsp vinegar (white or apple cider)
• 4 sprigs fresh mint
• 4 tbsp pomegranate
• 40g walnuts
• 1 avocado, chopped
• Tahini Dressing:
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1-cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated or ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Salt and black pepper
• To serve: cooked grain of choice, crackers

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180*C and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
2. De-seed the squash and apple slices and coat in olive oil. Rub with squash with smoked paprika on one tray with salt and black pepper and roast for 45 minutes, until tender. Flip the rounds over halfway through. Season the apple with salt and roast for 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through.
3. Roast the walnuts on the apple tray for the final 10 minutes.
4. Add the torn cavolo nero and kale to a large mixing bowl with the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Massage with your hands for a couple of minutes to wilt the leaves. Add the mint and most of the pomegranate and walnuts to the leaves, saving some for topping.
5. Prepare the ginger tahini dressing by stirring together all of the ingredients until smooth, adding a splash of water to reach a pouring consistency.
6. Divide the leaves between two bowls, top with the roasted squash and apple, sprinkle over the remaining pomegranate and walnuts. Top with the avocado cubes and pour over the ginger tahini dressing. Serve with your preferred grain or some crackers.

Paprika Roasted Squash and Apple Salad with Ginger Tahini

I look forward to hearing what you think of my Paprika Roasted Squash and Apple Salad with Ginger Tahini and I hope you’ll love it. Let me know below and tag me in your creations – I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With roasted squash love x

This post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own.