Salsa Macha Baked Salad

It was time we got a zesty and subtly spicy (but not too spicy!) Baked Salad in the mix. Enter scene: this Salsa Macha Baked Salad! A combination of kale, cabbage, and squash – this salad is the perfect vehicle for my salsa macha dressing.

Salsa macha is already textured and nutty with a great depth, so this salad doesn’t need more than that condiment to make it go wild. The sweetness of the squash tempers the heat of the dressing, and creamy labneh will make you want to come back for bite after bite. Also, a great perk is this can be made with either beans or chicken (or both!), so what’s stopping you?

What is Salsa Macha?

Before we dive in, let’s talk about the star of the show: salsa macha. If you’re not familiar, salsa macha is a traditional Mexican condiment that’s made with dried chiles, garlic, nuts or seeds, and oil. It’s crunchy, oily, nutty, and spicy all at once—like chili crisp’s earthier, more complex cousin.

Where chili crisp leans into Sichuan flavors, salsa macha leans into dried chilies like chipotle morita, New Mexican chilies, and arbol chilies The beauty of it is that it’s endlessly customizable—mine uses sunflower seeds, but you can make it with peanuts, sesame seeds, or even almonds.

For this salad, salsa macha is not just the dressing, it’s also the seasoning for the protein, plus a ton of depth in the salad itself. It adds that craveable savory punch that ties all the roasted vegetables together.

If you can’t find salsa macha at the store, don’t worry—I have a homemade sunflower salsa macha recipe you can whip up here.

Now, let’s talk a bit about baked salads

I love a raw, crunchy salad as much as anyone else. But sometimes, a salad needs to lean into comfort food. A baked salad takes hearty vegetable – like kale, squash, cabbage -and cooks them down so they’re soft, caramelized, and borderline addictive.

The result is a salad that’s warm, saucy, and honestly more of a meal than a side. Plus, when you bake greens like kale, you get these toasty, browned edges that bring so much flavor.

And here’s the secret: baked salads get better over time. The salsa macha dressing soaks into the vegetables, the kale softens, and the flavors marry together. It’s the kind of salad that’s even better for lunch the next day.

The protein options for this baked salad

As my husband and I have started cooking more together, I’ve started making meals that are half-vegetarian, half-meat eating. This recipe uses either beans (above) or chicken (below) and you can mix and match based off of your dietary preferences!

The key is, with either protein, “marinate” it with two tablespoons of salsa macha and one tabelspoon of mayonnaise before searing in your cast iron. This injects them with flavor and helps them meld into the recipe.

If you are doing both proteins, sauté the beans in the pan first so you don’t risk any cross contamination with the meat for your vegetarian friends!

Serving suggestions

Since we have the protein options, this salad is a full meal on its own, but if you’re looking to round it out, here are a few ideas:

• Serve it alongside warm tortillas or crusty bread to scoop up the labneh and dressing.
• Add avocado slices for extra healthy fats and heartiness.
• Serve it with rice or grains to serve as a more filling grain bowl.

Storing and meal prep

One of the best parts of this baked kale and butternut squash salad is how well it stores. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. The salsa macha dressing won’t wilt the vegetables, it will just keep the flavor for days.

And a big tip: If you’re meal-prepping, store the proteins separately and add them right before eating so they don’t lose texture.

Looking for other baked salads?

Well…I do have a few 🙂

Baked Kale Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Honey Mustard, Apple and Cheddar

This baked kale salad is one of my favorite variations. It's packed with greens and high-protein grains, it is filling, and its flavors combine together perfectly. The crisp sweetness of the apple plus the sharp cheddar and honey mustard is a match made in salad heaven, just trust me!

Check out this recipe

Baked Cabbage Salad with Winter Romesco

This salad is comforting, wholesome and filling. Paired with bits of crispy garlic, sage and nuts, creamy ricotta and bright romesco, it's a salad I'll have on repeat all winter. If you're cooking to make this salad a meal, this recipe will work for about 2 servings. If you're looking to use it as a side dish, it's fit to serve about 4!

Check out this recipe

Baked Cauliflower Salad with Feta and Dates

This cauliflower salad is a combination of warm and roasty, as well as crisp and fresh. It's the perfect marriage of salty, sweet, herbaceous and just plain good. It uses a whole cauliflower head to start, then adds on fresh peas, radishes, dates, basil and mint, as well as some salty feta. The combination is truly out-of-this world and absolutely worth the effort. It just might be your new favorite salad.

Check out this recipe

And that’s it for this Baked Salad! If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Salsa Macha Baked Salad

4.86 from 7 votes

This salad is a pile of roasted kale, soft and sweet butternut squash, just the right amount of cabbage, and a savory salsa macha dressing that will keep you wanting more. The whole recipe works with either chicken or beans for your protein, and I'll have the instructions on how to use either below. What you are left with is a filling, hearty meal that keeps well in the fridge for days. And maybe…dare I say…it gets better?

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Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Fusion, Mexican

Keyword: baked salad, butternut squash, kale, salsa macha

Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

• 1 chef's knife
• 2 half sheet pans
• 1 cast iron skillet or sauté pan

Ingredients

• 1 pound of lacinato kale
• 1 medium butternut squash about 2 pounds before being peeled and deseeded
• 1 pound green cabbage about 1/2 of a medium cabbage
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound of chicken breasts or 1 16-ounce can of butter beans
• 2 tablespoons salsa macha see Note*
• 1 tablespoon Kewpie mayonnaise

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup salsa macha
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For serving:

• 6 tablespoons of labneh

Instructions

• Stagger two racks in the oven and preheat to 425°F.
• Slice the squash into bite-sized pieces. Add that to a lined baking sheet. Remove the ribs from the kale and thinly slice it. Add this to a separate lined baking sheet. Shave the cabbage into a bowl using a mandolin and keep that raw to the side.
• Drizzle each sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with a few pinches of salt and cracks of black pepper. Mix with your hands to coat.
• Place the kale on the top rack and the squash on the bottom rack. Roast both for 20-25 minutes, checking to see if the kale is beginning to brown and crisp. Roast up until 30 minutes, the kale should be softened with browning on the edges, the squash should be tender and charring on the sides.
• While that’s roasting, prep the rest of the recipe.
• Depending on your protein, add the chicken OR beans to a bowl. Season the proteins with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of salsa macha and 1 tablespoon kewpie mayonnaise and mix to coat the protein. See Note**.
• Set a cast iron pan or sauté pan over medium heat. Sear the beans for 4-5 minutes on each side or until nicely charred. Set aside. If using the chicken, sear for 7-8 minutes on each side or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Set aside.
• Whisk together the 1/2 cup of salsa macha, 3 tablespoons of honey, 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and season with salt. Taste and add more salt as preferred.
• By now the vegetables should be ready. Either toss them all together on a sheet pan or in a large bowl. Add the raw cabbage. Drizzle with the salsa macha dressing and mix to coat.
• To serve, spread a 1-tablespoon layer of labneh in each serving bowl, pile in the dressed salad and evenly divide the proteins on top. Serve immediately.

Notes

Note*: Can’t find it in the store? Find my salsa macha recipe here: https://justinesnacks.com/sunflower-salsa-macha/

 

Note**: If using chicken, butterfly the breasts so that no piece is thicker than 1-inch. This will help regulate the cooking process time.