Kale Sauté with Roasted Butternut Squash, Dried Cranberries, and Pecans

This side dish is not only festive, beautiful, and healthy, it’s also very delicious too! I loved the tang the balsamic vinegar gave the roasted butternut squash. The combination of flavors and textures was a big hit with all of us. My kids ate every bite of their portion and my husband and I both thought it was excellent. This will be on our table again – soon.

How to Make a Kale Sauté with Roasted Butternut Squash, Dried Cranberries, and Pecans

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Place the diced butternut squash on the baking sheet then drizzle the top with one teaspoon of olive oil. Season well with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, then drizzle one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar on top; toss to coat evenly.

Place into the oven and roast for 8-10 minutes. Flip the butternut squash with a spatula then continue roasting, until tender, about 7-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the kale, pecan pieces, dried cranberries, and remaining balsamic vinegar, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until the kale is tender. Add the roasted butternut squash back to the kale then gently toss to coat. Pour into a serving bowl then drizzle the top with balsamic glaze, if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Kale Sauté with Roasted Butternut Squash, Dried Cranberries, and Pecans

Yield: 4

Total Time: 30 minutes +/-

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 cups butternut squash, diced
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
2 tsp balsamic vinegar, divided
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups of kale, chopped
3 tbsp toasted pecan pieces
2 tbsp dried cranberries
Balsamic glaze, if desired

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Place the diced butternut squash on the baking sheet then drizzle the top with one teaspoon of olive oil. Season well with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, then drizzle one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar on top; toss to coat evenly.

Place into the oven and roast for 8-10 minutes. Flip the butternut squash with a spatula then continue roasting, until tender, about 7-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the kale, pecan pieces, dried cranberries, and remaining balsamic vinegar, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until the kale is tender. Add the roasted butternut squash back to the kale then gently toss to coat. Pour into a serving bowl then drizzle the top with balsamic glaze, if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Recipe inspired by Simply Recipes

16 Comments

Lots of flavor and color concentrated in one dish! It is very appropriate for fall!!!

This looks delicious! When you say drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired, does that just mean with regular balsamic vinegar? Or is there a recipe for the glaze?

Pam says:

November 17, 2015 at 9:08 am

Mandy,

I have a bottle of Balsamic glaze that I was given.
It is balsamic vinegar reduced down, which makes it thick, rich, and a little sweet. If you can’t find it in the store, you can simmer some good balsamic vinegar in a saucepan until it reduces to a thick syrup. It’s great to have on hand! My kids love it on veggies.

Pam