If a warm and cozy salad is calling your name, then look no further than my Sheet Pan Warm Kale Salad. This vibrant salad is packed full of tender toasted veggies, mild Italian sausage, tangy feta cheese, and crunchy pistachios, all topped off with a creamy maple dijon dressing for the perfect salad in every bite. The sheet pan makes it quick and easy to assemble, plus, it makes it easy for serving a crowd. Whether you make this for your next gathering or for a simple family dinner, you can’t go wrong with this salad!
Friends, if you’ve never had a warm salad, then be prepared to have your life changed for forever. Contrary to popular belief, salads do NOT have to just be served cold. In fact, warm salads can be the perfect way to get your veggies in, while still enjoying a warm, cozy, and comforting meal. While I personally love a salad (hot or cold) any time of year, if you’re someone who struggles to enjoy them in the winter, then you’re absolutely going to love this salad!
Not only is it served warm, but it’s also filled with “warming” ingredients, from ground mild Italian sausage that is cooked to perfection, to tender butternut squash and sweet dried cranberries. The combination of these ingredients makes this salad so comforting. It’s perfect for enjoying as an appetizer or side dish, or even enjoying on its own!
And, the best part is – you can prepare it ahead of time and enjoy it throughout the week! While it is a warm salad and I do recommend enjoying it warm (you can always reheat it in the oven by placing it into an oven-safe dish and heating it at 350 F for 10 minutes), you can also enjoy it cold. As the flavors sit, they get better over time. However, it you do plan to enjoy it past 2-3 days, be sure to store the salad and dressing separately, so that it doesn’t get soggy!
What You Need to Make This Comforting Kale Salad
- Kale: Of course, it wouldn’t be a kale salad without the kale! I like using dino kale in this recipe, however any variety will do.
- Butternut Squash: When I think of a warm and cozy veggie, butternut squash immediately comes to mind. It’s packed with fiber and B Vitamins, making it a true superfood.
- Red Onion: Sliced red onion adds the perfect amount of tang, and, not to mention, a beautiful bright red color! When baked, they get slightly caramelized, and add a delicious touch to this salad.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is full of healthy fats, making it both the perfect base for the salad dressing, and perfect for roasting the veggies.
- Ground Mild Italian Sausage: The sausage packs this salad with protein, helping you stay fuller, longer.
- Dried Cranberries: Not only are dried cranberries packed with antioxidants, but they’re also perfectly sweet, helping to balance out the savory flavors in this salad.
- Pistachios: I love a salad with a little bit of crunch, and the pistachios add an irresistible crunchy element.
- Feta Cheese: Feta cheese has a tangy, briny flavor that pairs perfectly with the veggies in this salad. If you want to keep this salad dairy-free, you can omit the feta cheese or use a vegan-friendly alternative.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is key to making the vinaigrette sweet without being overpowering.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Not only is apple cider vinegar fermented, which means that it can be beneficial for your gut health, but it makes for a great vinegar base for the dressing!
- Dijon Mustard: It wouldn’t be a Maple Dijon dressing without the dijon mustard, which adds a tangy and delicious element to the dressing.
- Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible, as it adds the best flavor to any salad dressing – and this one is no exception!
- Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper: A little salt and pepper is necessary for any good salad recipe, and this recipe is no exception!
How to Make This Warm & Cozy Sheet Pan Salad
To make this salad, start by preheating your oven to 425 F. If using whole butternut squash, prepare the squash by removing the seeds and chopping it into 1/2 inch pieces. If you’re using pre-cut butternut squash (which I recommend – it’s so much easier!) you can skip this step.
Add the chopped butternut squash to a sheet pan. Then, chop the red onion and add it to the baking sheet. Add the olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, and a pinch of ground black pepper, and toss the squash and onion until they’re fully coated in both. Make sure they’re both spread out into an even layer on the sheet pan. Transfer the baking sheet into the oven for 20 minutes.
While the veggies are in the oven, prepare the sausage. Heat a pan, on the stove, over medium heat, and add in the sausage. Use a spoon to break the sausage up well, then allow it to cook until browned. Once the sausage is cooked through, remove it from the heat and set it aside. Then, prepare the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, kosher salt, and ground black pepper) to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Once the veggies are done, remove them from the oven. Then, add the kale and cooked sausage to the sheet pan, along with 1/4 of the dressing, and toss until they’re fully incorporated with the veggies.
Return the sheet pan to the oven and allow everything to cook together for 15 more minutes.
Once the salad is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before adding the feta cheese, dried cranberries, and chopped pistachios. Finally, drizzle the remaining dressing on top and toss to fully combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Equipment
- Sheet Pan after all, it wouldn't be a sheet pan salad without the sheet pan!
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 Medium Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Pound Ground Mild Italian Sausage
- 1 Bunch Dino Kale, stems removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ Cup Dried Cranberries
- ⅓ Cup Pistachios, coarsley chopped
- 1 Cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
For the Maple Dijon Dressing:
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- To make this salad, start by preheating your oven to 425 F.
- If using whole butternut squash, prepare the squash by removing the seeds and chopping it into 1/2 inch pieces. If you're using pre-cut butternut squash (which I recommend – it's so much easier!) you can skip this step.
- Add the chopped butternut squash to a sheet pan. Then, chop the red onion and add it to the baking sheet.
- Add the olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, and a pinch of ground black pepper, and toss the squash and onion until they're fully coated in both. Make sure they're both spread out into an even layer on the sheet pan.
- Transfer the baking sheet into the oven for 20 minutes.
- While the veggies are in the oven, prepare the sausage. Heat a pan, on the stove, over medium heat, and add in the sausage.
- Use a spoon to break the sausage up well, then allow it to cook until browned. Once the sausage is cooked through, remove it from the heat and set it aside.
- Then, prepare the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, kosher salt, and ground black pepper) to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Once the veggies are done, remove them from the oven.
- Then, add the kale and cooked sausage to the sheet pan, along with 1/4 of the dressing, and toss until they're fully incorporated with the veggies.
- Return the sheet pan to the oven and allow everything to cook together for 15 more minutes.
- Once the salad is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before adding the feta cheese, dried cranberries, and chopped pistachios.
- Finally, drizzle the remaining dressing on top and toss to fully combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
Really lovely salad! Warm and savory and sweet and crunchy! Perfect easy salad to make on a winter weeknight. The dressing was really yummy as well! Excited to make it again.
Everyone in my family loved this, even my 10-year-old. I added some cooked quinoa in at the end so that it was a hearty main for 5 people. I don’t eat meat so I kept part of the sheet pan free of sausage and mixed a small portion separately at the end. Loved it and this will be in my fall/winter rotation. Thank you!
I am so happy that you enjoyed it, Cheryl! Thank you so much for making this recipe, and for your review!
So delicious! The italian sausage really took this salad a step above for me. Added to my permanent dinner rotation.
I am so happy to hear that, Lauren! Thank you for your review!
Love all your recipes. I do not see it mentioned when the dried cranberries get added. Is this at the same time as the pistachios?