Maple-roasted anything, I’m in! This salad was part inspired by a recipe I found in a magazine years ago/part the sweetgreen signature harvest salad (if you’ve not tried sweetgreen and there’s one in your area, I highly recommend!). I’ve made this countless times over the years, tweaking it until I found the right combo that was hearty, flavorful and pretty simple to make. A major bonus is that it keeps well for several days, making for a perfect leftover for work lunches or busy days.
If you want to make this a main meal, add diced chicken or roasted chickpeas as a protein source and you’ve got yourself a balanced, nutrient dense option. This can definitely be prepped ahead and thrown together too!
You can’t go wrong with this one. Hope you enjoy!
Kale Salad with Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa or farro
- 2 sweet potatoes, chopped into cubes
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 bunches of kale (curly or lacinato), stems removed and kale chopped
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese, or alter based on preference
- Seeds from 1 pomegranate (~1 cup)
- 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cook grains according to package instructions.
- Chop sweet potatoes and spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toss with oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, red pepper flakes and sea salt. Once oven is preheated, roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through until crispy.
- Prepare dressing and set aside.
- Toast almonds over low heat in a non-stick pan for 2-4 minutes until browned. Set aside.
- Chop kale into bite size pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Pour 1-2 tbsp of dressing over the kale and use your hands to massage the kale until leaves are slightly soft. This helps break down the fibrous leaves for easier digestion and a less bitter taste.
- Combine all salad ingredients and toss with remaining dressing.
- Enjoy!