Vegan Thanksgiving Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing

Gather your friends and family around the holiday table and enjoy this Vegan Thanksgiving Salad. It is the perfect way to start your meal. Filled with roasted delicata squash, pecan parmesan, and quinoa, this hearty vegan salad is the best healthy side dish this holiday season.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy lemon dressing, delicata squash, fall salad, healthy fall food, healthy salad, healthy side dish, kale salad, salad ideas, thanksgiving, thanksgiving food, thanksgiving salad, thanksgiving side, vegan fall salad, vegan fall salad ideas, vegan salad, vegan thanksgiving, vegan thanksgiving salad

Servings: servings

Calories: 10kcal

Equipment

1 baking pan, lined to roast squash
1 food processor or high-speed blender to make parmesan and dressing
1 pot with lid to cook quinoa

Ingredients

For the squash

1 delicata squash
1 teaspoon avocado oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the pecan parmesan

½ cup raw pecans
¼ cup hemp hearts
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

For the creamy lemon dressing

½ cup soaked cashews *See notes below on cashews
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup honey can work, if needed
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon tahini
Zest from one lemon
Juice from 2 lemons
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Optional: Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup filtered water

For the salad

3 cups shredded kale, thick stems removed
1½ cups cooked quinoa, cooled
1 large avocado, cut into small chunks
¼ cup dried cranberries
2 shallots, thinly sliced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Prepare the delicate squash. Wash the squash, cut it in half lengthwise, deseed, and cut it into small 1/4 slices. Add the sliced delicata squash to the lined pan. Drizzle with avocado oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss so that everything is evenly coated and place them into one even layer. Roast the squash for 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Set them aside to cool.
Cook the quinoa on the stove, according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
Make the pecan parmesan. Place all of the ingredients into the base of a food processor. Blend for about 20 seconds until there are no large chunks. Pour the parmesan into a small bowl. Use a paper towel to remove the parmesan residue from the food processor.
Make the dressing. Using the food processor again, add all of the dressing ingredients, except the water to the base of the food processor. Blend the dressing for about 20 seconds. Pour in the water, scrape the sides, and blend for another 20 minutes. Set it aside.
Build the salad. Start by adding the kale, then quinoa, and the rest of the salad ingredients. End with the dressing and toss it all up. You can serve it immediately or place it in the fridge for an hour to chill before serving.

Notes

The cashews must be soft for this dressing. If needed, place them in a bowl, cover them with room temperature water, and place them in the fridge overnight. For a quicker version, cover them in hot water for 30 minutes to an hour.

You can switch out the dressing for your favorite creamy dressing. Just make sure it is creamy. I do highly recommend the dressing in the recipe, however.

Nutrition