This colorful delicata squash salad features roasted squash, sweet persimmons, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and a tangy pomegranate-Dijon vinaigrette. A flavorful fall favorite, perfect as a Thanksgiving side, holiday salad, or healthy weeknight dish.
🥗 Delicata Squash Salad with Persimmons & Pomegranate Dijon Vinaigrette
This roasted delicata squash salad is a seasonal favorite that’s perfect for fall and winter! Roasted delicata squash, sweet persimmons, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and a tangy pomegranate-Dijon vinaigrette come together for a salad that’s colorful, flavorful, and easy to make. Whether you’re adding it to your holiday table or enjoying it as a weeknight side, this delicata squash salad is sure to impress. Its combination of roasted vegetables and bright seasonal fruit makes it a standout dish that everyone will love.
Easy to prepare and full of fall flavors, it’s one of those dishes that feels fancy but is simple enough to make any day of the week. It’s the kind of fall squash salad that’s perfect for Thanksgiving, cozy dinners, or as a healthy holiday side.
💛 Why You’ll Love This Delicata Squash Salad
- Seasonal flavors: Roasted delicata squash and persimmons capture the best of fall.
- Easy to prepare: Thin-skinned Delicata squash makes prep quick and simple.
- Bright and colorful: Pomegranate seeds and persimmons add gorgeous pops of color.
- Balanced flavors & textures: Sweet, savory, crunchy, and tangy in every bite.
- Versatile: Perfect as a holiday side, Thanksgiving salad, or a weeknight meal.
📝 Delicata Squash Salad Ingredients & Notes
For the Salad
- Delicata squash – Thin-skinned and naturally sweet; perfect for roasting.
- Olive oil – Adds richness and helps roast the squash.
- Maple syrup – Adds a touch of natural sweetness.
- Sea salt & cinnamon – Enhance the squash’s natural flavor.
- Pumpkin seeds – Toasted for nutty crunch.
- Lacinato kale – A sturdy green that pairs beautifully with roasted squash and fruit; massaging softens it.
- Fuyu persimmons – Sweet, firm, and perfect for slicing raw.
- Pomegranate seeds – Add color, tartness, and crunch.
For the Pomegranate Dijon Vinaigrette
- Olive oil – Forms the base of the vinaigrette for richness.
- Balsamic vinegar – Adds tang and depth of flavor.
- Pomegranate molasses – Gives a sweet-tart flavor.
- Dijon mustard – Adds subtle tang and emulsifies the dressing.
- Shallot – Adds mild onion flavor.
- Salt & black pepper – Enhance and balance the flavors.
🔥 How to Make This Delicata Squash Salad
- Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the squash: Toss sliced delicata squash with olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon. Roast until tender and lightly caramelized, flipping halfway through. Add pumpkin seeds in the last few minutes to toast.
- Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pomegranate molasses, Dijon mustard, shallot, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Massage the kale: Toss shredded kale with the vinaigrette using your hands to soften the leaves.
- Assemble the salad: Top the dressed kale with roasted squash, persimmon slices, pomegranate seeds, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
🔄 Delicata Squash Salad Variations
- Swap the greens: Arugula, baby kale, or spinach.
- Add cheese: Feta or goat cheese pairs beautifully with sweet and savory flavors for a non-vegan version.
- Substitute squash: Acorn or kabocha squash works if delicata isn’t available.
- Change the Fruit – If persimmons are hard to find try sliced apples or pears instead. If pomegranates are tough to come by try dried cherries or cranberries.
💡 Tips for the Best Delicata Squash Salad
- Slice squash evenly for consistent roasting.
- Use fresh, in-season persimmons and pomegranate seeds for the best flavor.
🥡 Storing & Meal-Prep for Delicata Squash Salad
Best enjoyed the same day, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Roast squash ahead of time and keep the vinaigrette separate and toss just before serving if making ahead.
🎉 Final Thoughts
This delicata squash salad is a colorful, flavorful fall favorite. Roasted delicata squash, sweet persimmons, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and a tangy pomegranate-Dijon vinaigrette make it perfect for holiday tables, Thanksgiving sides, or cozy weeknight meals. The combination of sweet, savory, tangy, and crunchy flavors ensures everyone will keep coming back for more. This fall squash salad is simple, seasonal, and guaranteed to impress family and friends!
More Holiday Salads:
Delicata Squash Salad
This hearty roasted delicata squash salad filled with seasonal favorites like persimmons and pomegranates is perfect for both everyday meals and holiday entertaining.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 medium or 2 small Delicata squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and sliced into ½ -inch thick rings
- 1 Tablespoon/ 15ml extra virgin olive oil
- ½ Tablespoon/7ml maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup/ 28g pumpkin seeds
- One bunch Lacinato kale, stems removed and finely shredded
- 2 small Fuyu persimmons, sliced
- ½ cup/ 87g fresh pomegranate seeds
For the Vinaigrette:
- 2 Tablespoons/ 30ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons/12ml Pomegranate molasses
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛th teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the squash with the olive oil, maple syrup, salt and cinnamon. Place on a baking sheet and roast until tender (about 20 minutes), flipping the slices halfway through. In the last 3 minutes of roasting add the pumpkin seeds to the sheet pan.
- Meanwhile in a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, pomegranate molasses, mustard, shallot, salt and pepper.
- When the squash is tender and pumpkin seeds are toasted remove baking sheet from oven and set on wire rack to cool.
- Meanwhile toss the kale with the vinaigrette using your hands to gently massage and soften the kale. Top with the squash, persimmon slices, pomegranate seeds and toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
VARIATIONS: Substitute acorn squash for the delicata. Substitute sliced apples or pears for the persimmons. Substitute dried cherries or cranberries for the pomegranate seeds. Use your favorite combination of nut and or seeds in addition to or instead of pumpkin seeds. Substitute baby greens, arugula or baby spinach instead of kale, holding the dressing until ready to serve. Add a few shavings of manchego for a non-vegan option.
STORAGE: Salad is best served immediately but squash and dressing can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until needed.
DIETARY INFO: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 235Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 290mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 6gSugar: 17gProtein: 3g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I always look for new and delicious salad recipes that I can make for my weeknight dinners and lunches. You definitely can consider i will be making your squash salad.. it looks and sounds seriously delicious, nutritious and packed full of flavour.
Kitchen Belleicious says
the vinaigrette and the crunchy sweet pomegranates go so well together. It looks sweet and delicious
Adri says
This sounds wonderful. I love all the textures and the crunch!
jess @ whatjessicabakednext says
This squash salad looks amazing! Love the vinaigrette, so good!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
So pretty Sylvie! Love the pop of pomegranate.