Butternut Squash Kale Soup uses some of my favorite soup ingredients, and this tasty vegetarian soup has gluten-free and lower-carb options. And this is a perfect recipe to use those packages of peeled-and-cut butternut squash that shows up in the fall!

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This Butternut Squash Kale Soup is a recipe I first made just because I had butternut squash and kale in the fridge. And then I loved this soup with fall flavors, and it ended up being one of my favorite soups to make this time of year.

The bonus ingredient in the soup is Farro that I’d been craving ever since I first tried Farro with Mushrooms. The butternut, kale, and Farro combination here was wonderful, but I know some people aren’t going to have Farro. And also Farro isn’t gluten-free or low in carbs, so in the updated recipe I’m giving the option to switch Farro for brown rice (for gluten-free) or frozen cauliflower rice (for lower-carb and gluten-free.)

And no matter which way you make it, if you’re a fan of butternut squash and kale I hope you try this tasty meatless soup!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)

• Farro
• onion
• Olive Oil (affiliate link)
• Dried Thyme (affiliate link)
• Dried Sage (affiliate link)
• vegetable broth
• butternut squash
• kale
• salt and black pepper
• Balsamic Vinegar (affiliate link)
• Parmesan for serving (optional, dairy-free without the Parmesan)

Can you use pre-cut butternut squash for Butternut Squash Kale Soup?

I wrote a post about How to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash and for Roasted Butternut Squash it’s definitely better when you cut it up yourself. But to use in soup, those packages of pre-cut butternut squash that show up at Costco this time of year are great!

Want Butternut Squash Kale Soup that’s gluten-free or lower-carb?

You can easily make a gluten-free version of this soup by switching out the Farro for brown rice; I would use Ben’s Brown Rice (affiliate link). And you can make a tasty lower-carb version by switching out the Farro for cauliflower rice.

How high in carbs is the Butternut Squash Kale Soup?

This soup recipe with farro or brown rice will have about 24 net carbs per serving. If you switch out the Farro for frozen cauliflower rice, the soup will have about 12.8 net carbs per serving.

Who else LOVES Butternut Squash?

I’m a huge butternut squash fan from childhood, which is why my carb-conscious recipe blog has so many butternut squash recipes! And when it’s fall I just have to have it a few times every year. You can use Favorite Roasted Butternut Squash Recipes to see all my recipes using it. Or use Favorite Winter Squash Recipes to see my favorites with all types of winter squash!

How to Make Butternut Squash Kale Soup:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. If you’re using farro, start by soaking it for at least 15 minutes. 
2. If you don’t want to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash, I think pre-cut squash cubes are great for soup.
3. Cut the squash into pieces not more than 3/4 inch across.
4. Heat the oil in soup pot, then saute diced onion with the thyme and sage.
5. Add vegetable stock to the onions and herbs and bring to a low simmer; then add the farro and simmer 10 minutes. (You can skip this extra ten minutes if you’re using brown rice; cauliflower rice will be added towards the end of the cooking time.)
6. Add the squash cubes and simmer about 30 minutes.
7. Mash the squash a bit so some pieces will thicken the soup, then add the kale (and add cauliflower rice now if you’re using that) and simmer 20-30 minutes more.
8. Stir in a little balsamic vinegar if desired, and serve hot.
9. Butternut Squash Kale Soup will good with a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled on at the table, if you’re a fan of that.

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe for Butternut Squash Kale Soup has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week! And this recipe would be perfect to make on the weekend and enjoy for a meatless lunch or dinner.

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This gorgeous kale and wild rice salad is loaded with so many delicious ingredients: chicken, avocados, feta, almonds, apples, and more! It’s so good!

Sometimes a really loaded, really pretty, really delicious salad is exactly what my January doldrum heart needs.

And this salad is like a big burst of happiness in a bowl. The flavors! The textures! That delectable dressing. I could eat this every day for the rest of my life and die a happy woman.

Loaded with All the Good Things

Let’s take a quick look at all the yummy ingredients in this salad that starts with a base of kale or power greens.

• brown/wild rice
• grilled or cooked chicken
• craisins
• toasted almonds
• honeycrisp apple
• fresh basil (but if you can’t find it, just add a pinch of dried basil to the dressing)
• avocado
• feta cheese

And as with any good salad, the ingredients could be swapped in and out depending on your taste preferences and/or creativity level.

For instance, I think roasted sweet potatoes or roasted butternut squash would be amazing added to this salad. And the grilled chicken could easily be swapped for another protein or left out for a meatless salad.

Balsamic Dressing

The dressing for this salad is fresh, light, and tangy. It includes balsamic vinegar as well as fresh lemon juice.

For the balsamic, you can use regular (dark) balsamic vinegar or white balsamic. I have a delicious mango white balsamic in my pantry, and it is incredible in this dressing.

Red or white wine vinegar will also work. Blend everything together. It’s that easy!

This is a lightly dressed salad, so if you prefer a higher dressing to salad ratio, you might want to double the dressing.

Dress It Up

Sometimes with big main dish salads like this, I prefer serving the dressing on the side in case there are leftovers.

Too many times I’ve faced leftover salad in the fridge that has become decidedly less appealing overnight thanks to the soggy, limp lettuce and other questionable ingredients. Gives me the shivers just thinking about it.

But all of the ingredients in this salad (minus the avocado) hold up very well to the dressing and as leftovers! (If you anticipate leftovers, consider serving the avocado on the side.)

Drizzle the dressing over the top, give a light toss, and dig in!

Recipes From Friends

This recipe comes highly recommended from my cousin-in-law, Tami, who I trust impeccably when it comes to recipes and food.

She sent the recipe to me saying it was one of the best salads of her life and that I needed to make it ASAP. I did. And I can’t disagree. It’s a keeper…and a recipe I will be making over and over.

I kept my greens in larger pieces, but Tami said her friend who made it chopped the kale/greens really finely. And I can see myself opting to do the same in the future when I am a bit more ambitious and not quite as lazy.

There’s no wrong way to enjoy this salad. The wide variety of delicious ingredients and that crazy good dressing make it an absolutely stellar salad!

One Year Ago: Amazing Instant Pot Lemon Curd 
Two Years Ago: Loaded Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
Three Years Ago: Asian-Style Meatballs with Sweet Chili Sauce
Four Years Ago: Tender Greek Pork {Instant Pot or Slow Cooker} 
Five Years Ago: Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Six Years Ago: Whole Grain Cinnamon Applesauce Bread 
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Eight Years Ago: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Nine Years Ago: Baked Tilapia with Ginger and Cilantro 
Ten Years Ago: Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake 

Kale and Wild Rice Salad

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 1 hour hr

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Salad:

• ¾ cup uncooked wild rice blend (see note)
• 6 ounces (about 5 lightly packed cups) coarsely or finely chopped kale/baby spinach or a power greens mix (see note)
• 2 to 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (see note)
• 1 medium honeycrisp apple, cored and diced
• ½ to 1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted (see note)
• ½ to 1 cup craisins or golden raisins
• ½ to 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ to 1 cup chopped fresh basil (optional – if not in season, add a pinch of dried basil to the dressing)
• 1 to 2 medium avocados, diced

Dressing:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic (see note) or red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
• Pinch of black pepper
• ¼ to ½ cup fresh cilantro

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• Cook the rice according to package directions. Drain (if needed) and set aside to cool to room temperature.

• For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and well-combined. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.

• Assemble the salad by placing the greens in the bottom of a large serving bowl or on a platter. Top with rice, chicken, apples, almonds, craisins, feta, basil (if using), and avocados.

• Drizzle dressing over salad and toss lightly to combine. Serve immediately.

Dressing: this is a lightly dressed salad, so if you like a lot of dressing to salad ratio, consider doubling the recipe. 
Rice: this is the wild rice blend I like to use (if you have a Winco close, you can find it in the bulk bins). You can also use tri-color quinoa for a rice alternative.
Kale/Greens: for the greens, you can use all chopped kale or all chopped spinach, although I prefer using a power greens mix that has spinach, kale and other baby greens. The greens can be coarsely or finely chopped.
Chicken: a rotisserie chicken or other cooked chicken will work well for this salad. I’ve also made it by seasoning chicken tenders with salt, pepper and garlic and cooking them on the grill (you could also use an air fryer, skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, or an oven set to broil). 
Almonds: toasting the almonds adds delicious flavor and crunch – I use this easy microwave method to toast the nuts.
Balsamic Vinegar: this salad dressing is delicious with regular (dark) balsamic vinegar; it’s also delicious with white balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar. 

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Method: Stovetop

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 296kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 225mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g

Recipe Source: by way of my cousin-in-law, Tami (and her friend who served it to her!)

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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