Chilly autumn weather means that oven and I are on best terms again and chucking things into it and letting it do its magic while I stare into the distance is my go to. This is where this roasted vegetable salad comes in. It’s really easy to prepare, sweet and sour and so delicious, full of texture and colour. This roasted vegetable salad makes for a great side or a main when paired with a good dip and some crusty bread.

I made my roasted vegetable salad with roasted beetroots and butternut squash and raw kale, but you can pick some other vegetables: pumpkin, carrots, sweet potato or parsnips will all do well. I picked vegetables that are naturally sweet as they complement kale’s inherent bitterness beautifully. While I roast my veggies I also like to whack an entire head of garlic (or even two or three) into the oven at the same time. Garlic gets beautifully soft and mellow and helps to make a very flavourful and creamy dressing in seconds.

I think this roasted vegetable salad looks beautiful – I love the jewel tones of caramelised beetroot and squash cubes against velvety green kale and white dressing – so it would look amazing on your festive table whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas or something entirely different.

MORE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

KALE: Kale is a great companion for roasted vegetable salads because as opposed to salad leaves, it does not wilt when paired with hot ingredients. I used lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur kale, Tuscan kale or cavolo nero, which I tenderised by rubbing small amount of extra virgin olive oil into the leaves with my hands.

BEETROOT: I used earthy and sweet beetroot for this roasted vegetable salad. I cubed it and roasted it in the oven until tender and lightly caramelised. If you dislike beetroot, you could use parsnip or carrots for example.

SQUASH or PUMPKIN: I used butternut squash alongside beetroot. Their natural sweetness, enhanced by the roasting process, works really well to off set kale’s natural bitterness. If you don’t have butternut squash, you could use any other firm squash or pumpkin instead. Failing that sweet potato would also make a suitable replacement.

BALSAMIC VINEGAR: I tossed my roasted vegetables in a bit of syrupy balsamic vinegar as its flavour works really well with both beets and squash.

GARLIC: An entire head of garlic may sound like a lot, but roasting it with a drizzle of olive oil transforms its flavour profile and mellows it out hugely so don’t be afraid even if you are not a garlic fiend.

HAZELNUTS: Hazelnuts are such autumn nuts and they belong with pumpkins in my onion. I used shop-bought roasted & skinned hazelnuts for ease, but you can do that yourself too. To roast hazelnuts, place them on a baking tray and roast in a 175º C / 350º F for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden – don’t overdo it, they are easy to burn. Once roasted, place hot hazelnuts in the middle of a clean kitchen towel, close the towel and rub between hands to loosen up the skins.

SAGE: Sage is a beautiful herb that works really well with winter flavours and benefits from being flash fried. If you would rather use a different herb, both rosemary and thyme would would work nicely just as well and there is no need to fry them although you could add them to your veg before roasting.

CASHEWS or SUNFLOWER SEEDS: Soaked cashews (or sunflower seeds) make a great base for a creamy vegan dressing. Soak them in boiling water for 20 minutes before you are ready to blend them with some fresh water and seasonings. If you don’t want to use either of these, you can use a couple of tablespoons of tahini instead and mash the garlic with a fork really well before stirring it in.

MUSTARD: A bit of mustard is a nice touch here as it cuts through the richness of the dressing and adds a hint of heat. I used wholegrain mustard, but any will do although the amount may vary so add gradually.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: A good creamy dressing always needs a dash of acid to balance it out and I used apple cider vinegar but lemon juice would also work well.

MAPLE SYRUP: A touch of maple syrup in the dressing creates a perfect balance of flavours.

HOW TO MAKE IT?

1) ROAST BEETS AND SQUASH

Cut both veggies into even sized pieces, toss in a bit of olive oil, season and arrange on a baking tray. Prep a whole head of garlic for roasting and tuck it in next to the veggies. Roast until tender and caramelised, tossing in some balsamic vinegar 10 minutes before the veggies are ready to come out.

2) MASSAGE KALE

While massaging your kale may sound silly, there is a method to this madness. Rubbing oil into kale leaves with your hands breaks down tough cell walls and tenderises the leaves, making kale nicer to chew and easier to digest.

3) MAKE THE DRESSING

Whack all of the dressing ingredients and roasted garlic cloves into a small blender. Add some water and blitz until super smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

3) FRY SAGE (OPTIONAL)

While my veggies are roasting, I like to flash fry my sage leaves. Doing that makes them beautifully crispy and they make for a delicious dish topper while the resulting sage-infused oil is fantastic in pasta, on mashed potatoes, on creamy polenta – you name it.

3) PLATE

To assemble the salad, top massaged kale with roasted veggies, drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and crushed fried sage leaves.