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Autumn Caesar Salad with Delicata Squash Croutons

Autumn caesar salad with delicata squash croutons features oven-roasted golden squash rings and a creamy Caesar toss with romaine and lacinato kale. The squash crisps at the edges for crunchy “crouton” texture topped with shaved Parmesan and pepitas.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

delicata squash
  • 1 delicata squash halved, seeded, and sliced into 1/2-inch half-moons
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
romaine
  • 1 romaine large head, chopped
lacinato kale
  • 3 cup lacinato kale stemmed and chopped
caesar dressing
  • 0.5 cup Caesar dressing divided
shaved Parmesan
  • 0.5 cup shaved Parmesan
roasted pepitas
  • 0.25 cup roasted pepitas
lemon
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Roast the delicata squash croutons
  1. Preheat oven to 425F and place a sheet pan inside to warm. Toss the sliced delicata squash with olive oil, maple syrup, smoked paprika, and salt until evenly coated.
  2. Roast at 425F for 22-25 minutes, flipping halfway. Roast until the edges are golden and crisp, keeping the rings spread for browning.
Build the salad
  1. Massage the lacinato kale with 1 tablespoon of Caesar dressing for 1 minute to soften. Stop when the kale looks glossy and slightly wilted.
  2. Toss the chopped romaine and kale with the remaining Caesar dressing. Mix until the greens are evenly coated and lightly slick.
  3. Top the salad with the roasted squash croutons, shaved Parmesan, and roasted pepitas. Scatter toppings across the bowl so each bite gets crunch.
  4. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side. Squeeze lemon over the salad to brighten the flavors right before eating.

Notes

Pro tip: Spread the squash in a single layer on the hot sheet pan so the edges crisp instead of steaming. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days; keep lemon wedges separate if possible. Freezing is not recommended for the salad, but you can roast extra squash and refrigerate up to 3 days for quick meal prep. For a dairy-light option, use a Caesar dressing that’s lower in Parmesan or swap in a plant-based Parmesan-style topping (flavor will be slightly different).