Fall Harvest Salad Recipe with Garlic Cashew Sauce
This hearty Fall Harvest Salad is the perfect vegan and gluten-free side dish for any holiday table! It is full of all your favorite seasonal flavors and can be customized to include extra protein (and other favorite Fall ingredients) for a main course salad. It’s a beautiful, colorful, and tasty dish that everyone will enjoy!
Servings: 4 -5 servings
Ingredients
- Harvest Salad
- 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups kabocha squash cut into chunks
- 5-6 leaves lacinato kale finely chopped
- 2 cups buckwheat groats
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- vegan parmesan or a hazelnut, to taste
- Garlic Cashew Sauce
- 1 cup hemp seeds
- 1/2 cup cashew butter
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup filtered water more as needed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Roast kabocha and broccoli
- Place broccoli and kabocha on a lined baking tray and drizzle with netural oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and gently toss to coat.
- Bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes. until fork tender and nicely golden. Set aside.
- Cook the buckwheat
- Start by sautéing shallot and garlic in neutral oil in a pot until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add fresh rosemary and thyme and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add buckwheat to the pot and stir to cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Stir occasionally and cook for 12-15 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Once cooked, remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 2 minutes, then use a fork to fluff up the buckwheat.
- Garlic cashew sauce
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Assemble the salad
- Toss buckwheat, kale, broccoli, kabocha squash and pecans into a large bowl. Drizzle the garlic cashew sauce on top then toss with a spatula to combine.
- If desired, grate vegan parmesan or a hazelnut on top of the salad.
Notes
- Use any kind of winter squash, such as butternut or delicata instead of kabocha. You can also use a root vegetable like sweet potatoes.
- Add roasted bell pepper, leeks, or mushrooms.
- Use a different hearty green instead of kale, such as chard or spinach.
- You can swap the buckwheat for quinoa, farro, black rice, or any gluten-free grain you love.
- Feel free to top it with additional fall flavors like pumpkin seeds, chopped Honeycrisp apples, pomegranate seeds, and more!
- To add some extra protein, or to turn this salad into a delicious meal, add some crispy pan-fried tofu!