Kale Sweet Potato Salad with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. This hearty salad makes the perfect side dish to any main dish!
You know me. I’m all about salads that are full to the brim with goodies for a nutritious dish that’s packed with a variety of flavors, textures, and nutrients. That’s precisely what we have here in this Kale and Sweet Potato Salad!
I made it for dinner with friends and was told it reminded them of Costco’s Sweet Kale Salad, which includes many of the same ingredients.
The consensus was everyone loved the salad and thought the roasted sweet potatoes were a nice touch. Prior to serving the salad, I had my reservations, as we all know that thoughts and feelings about kale can get pretty heated and controversial.
Nevertheless, the whole thing went off without a hitch and the salad comfortably served four individuals. Alongside pork tacos, because that’s a pairing that makes a whole lot of sense 😉
The nourishing ingredients are easy to find at any grocery store! Here is some detailed ingredient info, as each one serves an important purpose.
Kale and Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients:
Fresh Head of Kale: The main ingredient here, we need one large head of kale. I like using curly kale, but lacinato kale (also known as dino kale or Tuscan kale) works too.
Sweet Potato: Brings sweet flavor and squishy texture to soften up the fibrous texture of the kale. Sweet potatoes are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, potassium, and antioxidants.
Pumpkin Seeds: A little nutty crunch is brought to us by roasted pumpkin seeds. You can also use pecans, sliced almonds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds.
Dried Cranberries: Brings a sweet and tangy punch to help the salad taste like candy.
Parmesan Cheese: Adds umami flavor and that unmistakable parmesan goodness. Increase or decrease the amount to your liking.
Red Onion: Zingy red onion adds a subtle heat for a fresh bite of big flavor. Increase or decrease the amount accordingly. You can also use pickled red onions for a unique touch.
Dressing Ingredients:
Olive oil: Every great salad dressing begins with a fat. I like using extra virgin olive oil for that rich rustic olive flavor. Avocado oil works great too.
Fresh Lemon Juice: Vibrant citrus flavor comes from some lemon juice for a lovely zing.
Balsamic Vinegar: A softer acidity comes from balsamic vinegar. You can use infused balsamic here too. Apple cider vinegar works too.
Fresh Garlic: A pop of fresh flavor! Increase or decrease the amount to taste.
Dijon Mustard: I like adding a small amount of Dijon mustard for texture and a very subtle flavor that is almost imperceptible.
Pure Maple Syrup: The subtle sweetener that completes the flavor profile.
Fresh Parsley: A burst of vibrance comes from fresh parsley. Replace it with dried parsley or Italian seasoning if you prefer.
Recipe Customizations:
- Swap out the sweet potato for butternut squash, or omit it altogether.
- Add fresh blueberries, sliced apple, halved grapes, or chopped strawberries for an infusion of juicy fruit.
- Use feta cheese or goat cheese instead of parmesan cheese.
- Add rotisserie chicken for a filling entree salad.
- Include some diced creamy avocado for a luxurious texture.
How to Make Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the sweet potato into bite-sized chunks, spread over a large baking sheet, then drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Use your hands to toss everything together until the sweet potato cubes are coated in oil and seasoning. Be sure to spread out the chunks into an even layer so that they bake evenly.
Roast on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and use a spatula to give them a good stir and shake.
Roast for an additional 5 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown on the outside and soft on the inside. Transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to a plate and refrigerate until chilled. While the sweet potatoes roast, prepare the rest of the recipe.
Thoroughly rinse the head of kale under lukewarm water. Use a knife to separate the leaves from the tough stems and discard the stems. Finely chop the kale leaves on a large cutting board and transfer the chopped kale to a large bowl.
Drizzle the kale with fresh lemon juice and use your hands to squeeze and massage the kale. The purpose of this step is to massage the lemon juice into the fibrous leaves to help soften and break down some of the fibers.
This makes the kale easier to chew and aids in digestion. Continue this process for a few minutes.
Once cooled, transfer the roasted sweet potato to the bowl with the massaged kale along with the pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, parmesan cheese, and red onion.
Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or blender and blend well until combined.
Pour your desired amount of dressing over the salad (I use the whole batch) and toss using salad tongs until everything is well coated in dressing.
Taste the salad for flavor and add anything you think it’s missing. More cheese, a pinch of salt, black pepper, more lemon juice, nuts, etc.
Serve this easy kale salad alongside your main entree, and enjoy!
If you have any leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Recipe Tips:
- Be sure to thoroughly massage the kale as indicated in the instructions for the best results!
- Roast the sweet potato up to 4 days ahead of time, and/or make the dressing up to 4 days ahead of time to prepare this recipe in parts.
The next time you’re craving a mean green salad, whip up this healthy option! While this may look like a classic fall salad, I’m more than comfortable enjoying it no matter the time of year for healthy comfort food.
If you love hearty salad recipes like this, also try out some of my other favorite salad recipes.
More Healthy Salad Recipes:
- Crunchy Kale Salad with Sunflower Seeds
- Crispy Salmon Salad with Cabbage and Peanut Dressing
- Black Bean Salad
- Roasted Sweet Potato Chicken Salad
- Winter Salad Recipe
- Crunchy Spring Mix Salad
Your new go-to dinner salad recipe!
Sweet Potato Kale Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Kale Sweet Potato Salad
- 1 medium-sized sweet potato chopped into bite sized chunks
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- 1 large head kale stems removed, leaves finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice.
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ⅔ cup parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup red onion finely chopped
For the Dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 small clove garlic
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped*
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the sweet potato into bite-sized chunks, spread over a large baking sheet, then drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Use your hands to toss everything together until the sweet potato cubes are coated in oil and seasoning. Be sure to spread out the chunks into an even layer so that they bake evenly.
- Roast on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and use a spatula to give them a good stir and shake. Roast for an additional 5 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown on the outside and soft on the inside. Transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to a plate and refrigerate until chilled. While the sweet potatoes roast, prepare the rest of the recipe.
- Thoroughly rinse the head of kale under lukewarm water. Use a knife to separate the leaves from the tough stems and discard the stems. Finely chop the kale leaves on a large cutting board and transfer the chopped kale to a large bowl.
- Drizzle the kale with fresh lemon juice and use your hands to squeeze and massage the kale. The purpose of this step is to massage the lemon juice into the fibrous leaves to help soften and break down some of the fibers. This makes the kale easier to chew and aids in digestion. Continue this process for a few minutes.
- Once cooled, transfer the roasted sweet potato to the bowl with the massaged kale along with the pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, parmesan cheese, and red onion.
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or blender and blend well until combined.
- Pour your desired amount of dressing over the salad (I use the whole batch) and toss using salad tongs until everything is well coated in dressing. Taste the salad for flavor and add anything you think it’s missing. More cheese, a pinch of salt, black pepper, more lemon juice, nuts, etc.
- Serve this easy kale salad alongside your main entree, and enjoy!
