Maple Cinnamon Butternut Squash with Baked Apples and Crispy Kale

Roasted butternut squash, apples, and kale seasoned with maple syrup, cinnamon, and chili powder. It's a warm and comforting fall side dish!

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegetarian

Prep Time 17

Cook Time 28

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 236kcal

Cost $15

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper.
Peel, remove the seeds, and dice the apples and squash.
Add apples and squash to a bowl with olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to evenly coat.
Spread apples and squash out on the prepared sheet pan, leaving space between each piece. Reserve the empty bowl with any additional seasonings and oil remaining at the bottom. Set it aside.
Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
Use your hands to rip the kale into bite-sized pieces. Add kale to the reserved bowl and massage it around with your hands to coat lightly in the oil and seasonings remaining in the bowl.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Top the apples and butternut squash with pecans, thyme leaves, and kale.
Place back in the oven and cook for about 8 minutes, watching carefully until the kale turns crispy but not burnt.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Add dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and feta over top. Scoop into a large serving bowl and serve warm.

To store: Allow roasted butternut squash, apples, and kale to cool completely before scooping into an airtight container and storing in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
To freeze: Allow roasted butternut squash, apples, and kale to cool completely before scooping into an airtight container and storing in the freezer up to 6 months.
To reheat: When ready to eat, dump the squash mixture back onto a sheet pan and heat it in the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through.

You can use any slightly tart apple for this recipe. I used honeycrisp apples for both their flavor and texture.
If you don’t like dried cranberries, you can substitute them for golden raisins or dried cherries instead.
Make sure to use a sheet pan large enough to space out the squash or use 2 sheet pans instead. Leaving space between the pieces of squash allows the air to circulate around them to help them roast.