This Orange Chipotle Honeynut Cabbage Salad uses roasted honeynut squash, crispy lentils, and charred cabbage tossed in a zesty and smoky orange chipotle dressing. A hearty and warming bite perfect for any night of the week.
Why You’ll Love This Orange Chipotle Honeynut Cabbage Salad
- Affordable nutrition. One of my favorite things about this time of year is how easy it is to eat well without spending a lot. This recipe uses simple, everyday ingredients that are nourishing, filling, and budget-friendly.
- A play of fun textures. Between the crispy lentils, tender roasted squash, and lightly charred cabbage, every bite feels different. It’s a satisfying mix that keeps each spoonful interesting.
- Adjustable to your spice tolerance and your time. Whether you like things mild or smoky, this recipe can easily be customized to your taste. You can also simplify it for busy days or make extra to enjoy throughout the week.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Honeynut Squash: This smaller cousin of butternut squash has a naturally sweet, nutty flavor that caramelizes beautifully when roasted. If you can’t find honeynut, butternut or delicata squash, or sweet potato make for great substitutes.
- Cabbage: Roasting cabbage brings out its sweetness and gives it a lightly charred edge that adds depth. Use a mix of green and red cabbage for color contrast, or substitute with shredded Brussels sprouts if you’d like something heartier.
- French Lentils: These small, firm lentils hold their shape well and become crispy when roasted. If you can’t find French lentils, small brown or green lentils will work, or use canned lentils for a time saving option. Just make sure to dry them well before roasting.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: These smoky, spicy peppers are the flavor backbone of the dressing. For a milder option, use just one pepper or swap with smoked paprika and a splash of vinegar for gentle heat without the spice.
- Pepitas: These add a nutty richness to the chipotle dressing and help give it body. Sunflower seeds are a great nut-free swap that still provide creaminess and subtle flavor.
- Maple Syrup: Balances the spice and acidity in the chipotle dressing with a touch of sweetness. You can substitute with agave syrup or even a soft date blended into the dressing.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds tang and brightness to the dressing and slaw. If you don’t have it on hand, try rice vinegar or white wine vinegar instead.
- Cilantro: Adds freshness to the roasted vegetables and brings all the flavors together. If cilantro isn’t your favorite, parsley makes a great alternative.
- Orange Zest: A subtle, but important ingredient that lifts the chipotle dressing with a burst of citrus. Lemon zest can work too, though it will have a slightly sharper tang.
How to Make This Orange Chipotle Honeynut Cabbage Salad
Cook or prep lentils: Preheat the oven to 425F. Boil dry lentils with a bouillon cube until tender, or drain canned lentils and pat dry.
Roast lentils: Toss with oil and spices, bake for 20–25 minutes, tossing halfway, until crispy.
Roast squash: Slice into half-moons, season with paprika and coriander, and roast for 20 minutes until golden.
Roast cabbage: Toss with garlic powder, and oil then roast for 25 minutes until slightly charred.
Make dressing: Toast garlic and pepitas in oil, then add to a blender with chipotle peppers, orange zest, vinegar, maple syrup, and water. Blend until smooth.
Assemble: Toss cabbage with cilantro, add squash, drizzle dressing, and top with crispy lentils. Serve with rice or bread.
Expert Tips
- Give your veggies space on the pan. Your goal should be to avoid a lot of your veggies from overlapping too much. When veggies roast on top of each other, they end up steaming instead of searing. When the veggies have contact to the hot surface of the pan, they are more likely to caramelize and brown which improves their texture and taste.
- Tips for saving time. Instead of making the lentils yourself, you can always use canned small lentils like the ones from Rienzi. I also find using pre-shredded cabbage is great to have on hand the days you don’t feel like shredding it yourself.
- Control the spice. You can adjust the amount of chipotle peppers you use. For less spicy use either just the adobo sauce or just use 1 pepper in the dressing versus the 2-3 originally recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
If planning to use for meal prep, I would recommend prepping the components separately so that they can be tossed together when ready to serve. This will better maintain its texture and freshness. For this salad, roast up the lentils, cool, and store in a loosely covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The squash, cabbage and herbs can be tossed together and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. For the dressing, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
If you’re roasting any lentil or bean, the crispiness is ultimately impacted by the moisture. It can be helpful to dry your cooked lentils as much as possible before you try and roast them. If your lentils start to soften a bit when storing, you can revive them by placing them in the oven at 350F on a baking tray for 5-8 minutes to crisp them back up.
Make It Balanced
I’m a rice girl, so I tend to place my cooked salads over rice. But this can work on any other grain you prefer.
For a little extra protein, try with some quinoa (this baked quinoa from Justine is great) or enjoy with some shredded baked tofu.
More Cozy Warming Salads to Try
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Description
This Orange Chipotle Honeynut Cabbage Salad uses roasted honeynut squash, crispy lentils, and charred cabbage tossed in a zesty and smoky orange chipotle dressing. A hearty and warming bite perfect for any night of the week.
Crispy Lentils
Roasted Vegetables
Chipotle Dressing
- If using dry lentils, place in a saucepan with a bouillon cube and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-17 minutes or until the lentils are tender and cooked through. Drain off any remaining liquid and allow to cool. If using canned lentils, place the drained lentils on a clean kitchen towel and carefully pat dry to remove excess moisture.
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line three baking trays with parchment paper. Transfer the lentils to one tray then add oil, garlic powder, coriander, paprika, and a generous pinch of salt. Toss to coat, then spread out in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Give them a toss, spreading them back out in an even layer then roast for an additional 5-8 minutes until crispy. Let cool completely.
- Peel the squash, remove the ends, cut in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Slice into thin half-moons, then add the squash to the second tray. Sprinkle with 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp coriander, and a pinch of salt. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil then toss to coat. Spread the squash out into a single layer. Roast for 15 minutes, flip then roast for an extra 5 minutes, or until tender and golden around the edges.
- To the third tray, add the cabbage, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp coriander, and a generous pinch of salt. Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil then toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer on the tray then roast for 22-25 minutes, tossing half way, until the edges are lightly charred.
- While everything roasts, make the dressing. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic cloves and pepitas with a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally until golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the oil, garlic, and pepitas to a blender cup along with the chipotle peppers, orange zest, vinegar, maple syrup, 2 tbsp ice cold water, and 1/4 tsp salt. Blend until smooth.
- To assemble, add the cilantro to the tray of roasted cabbage then top with the roasted squash. Drizzle with 1/3 of the dressing, then toss everything together to combine. Divide the dressed veggies between serving bowls, drizzle with more dressing as desired, then top with a portion of the roasted lentils. Serve with rice or toasted bread and enjoy!
Notes
Give your veggies space on the pan. Your goal should be to avoid a lot of your veggies from overlapping too much. When veggies roast on top of each other, they end up steaming instead of searing. When the veggies have contact to the hot surface of the pan, they are more likely to caramelize and brown which improves their texture and taste.
Tips for saving time. Instead of making the lentils yourself, you can always use canned small lentils like the ones from Rienzi. I also find using pre-shredded cabbage is great to have on hand the days you don’t feel like shredding it yourself.
Control the spice. You can adjust the amount of chipotle peppers you use. For less spicy use either just the adobo sauce or just use 1 pepper in the dressing versus the 2-3 originally recommended.
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