autumn caesar.
INGREDIENTS
For the salad:
2 cups diced butternut squash (Roughly half of one squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups diced crusty bread, such as baguette
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar
1 head lacinato kale - see note (Can use regular kale, torn to pieces, about 8 cups)
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan
1/4 cup pepitas
For the dressing:
2 anchovies, from a jar or tin
1 teaspoon lemon - no more than that!
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Heaping 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
RECIPE
Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a bowl, toss together the diced squash, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Spread across a parchment lined sheet tray and bake until tender, about 25 minutes.
Simultaneously, toss the bread cubes in a bowl with the remaining tablespoon oil, the melted butter, and the cheddar and gruyere.
Spread across a baking sheet, then bake for 15 minutes, flipping the croutons halfway through. (It is important to flip or the cheese will crisp onto the sheet)
Prepare the dressing by blending all ingredients in a food processor or compact blender until smooth.
Combine the dressing with the kale and massage to tenderize the leaves.
Toss the roasted squash into the kale.
Top with shredded Parmesan, then scatter the cheddar croutons and pepitas over top to serve.
Is there anything better than a Caesar salad?
Before you answer that, I’ll clarify.
As far as salads go, Caesar is as good as it gets. It’s the one salad that can be as simple as it is and get away with it — never boring no matter the setting. Airplane food? Sure. Fancy 5-star meal starter course? That too.
I’ll admit I’ve had bad Caesars, and even those weren’t the end of the salad for me. I crave Caesar often, and lately more than ever I’ve been craving a dark, leafy Caesar sprinkled heavily with shredded Parmesan cheese.
Beyond that, this Caesar reflects the flavors of fall without straying too far from what we know and love in a Caesar. There’s nutty roasted butternut squash, some rich and crunchy homemade cheesy croutons, and a sprinkling of pepitas, which can be swapped for homemade pumpkin seeds if desired. It’s a delicious, simple, autumn-inspired take on a classic, and one you’ll definitely want to keep around for Thanksgiving.
If you like the sound of this salad, you might also like my candied bacon and butternut squash salad, which is similar but uses an apple cider vinaigrette. Both are delicious ways to use squash and kale, my favorite fall veg.
Serves 4
The ingredients for the dressing: You can swap the anchovies for paste or omit them entirely, adding a few extra dashes of Worcestershire to make up for the lost umami.
Toss the kale with dressing, then with the squash. I usually massage the kale simultaneously with adding the dressing.
Other recipes that are also good:
