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Looking for a nutritious and tasty salad recipe? Look no further! This sweet potato kale salad with maple dressing is packed with nutrients (including 6 grams protein per serving) and flavor, perfect for a healthy meal or side dish.
How To Make A Healthy & Delicious Sweet Potato Kale Salad
It happens more times than I can count that my new favorite recipes are ones thrown together on the fly with what’s on hand. Add this roasted sweet potato and kale salad to the list.
A friend sent a message Thursday night inviting us to come to a “Friendsgiving” get-together on the Friday before Thanksgiving week. We were instructed to bring a dish to share.
As soon as I read the note, I knew what sort of dish I wanted to bring: a cool-weather salad made with roasted sweet potatoes and kale. The choice was almost entirely based on large bunch of curly kale in the refrigerator and the surplus of sweet potatoes in my pantry 😊.
The salad was scrumptious, if I do say so myself, and 100% worthy of sharing!
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Gluten-free
- Grain-free
- 6 grams protein per serving
- 8 grams fiber per serving
- Loaded with vitamins and minerals
- Simple to make
- Incredibly beautiful & delicious!
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- Sweet potatoes
- Olive oil (or avocado oil, or oil of choice)
- Smoked paprika (pimenton; see notes for options)
- Salt & freshly cracked pepper
- Fresh kale (curly kale or Tuscan kale / Lacinato kale)
- Limes (both the grated zest and the lime juice)
- Maple syrup (see notes for options)
- Green pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Step by Step Directions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 425F (215C).
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Cut the rounds in half.
- In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly coated. Spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer on a large baking sheet (use two, baking sheets, if needed).
- Roast the sweet pogoes for 25 to 30 minutes until browned and tender.
- While the sweet potatoes roast, remove the tough stems and ribs from the kale leaves. Cut out the stems and ribs with the sharp knife, or pull the leaf away from the rib. Roughly tear or chop the leaves into bite size pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the remaining oil with the lime zest, lime juice, maple syrup, and salt & pepper to taste.
- Add the kale to bowl with dressing. Using clean hands, massage the kale (scrunch and release) and work in the dressing (do this for about 30 seconds or so; this gives the leaves a tender texture). Chill in the refrigerator / fridge until sweet potatoes are ready.
- Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Let cool, on the baking sheet, for about 15 minutes (or cool completely, as desired). Add the warm sweet potatoes to the kale leaves, gently tossing to combine.
- Sprinkle with the chopped pumpkin seeds and serve.
This salad looks like autumn in a bowl.
Variations for the Kale Sweet Potato Salad
- Pumpkin Seed Alternatives: Swap in almonds, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pecans, or hemp hearts.
- Lime Alternatives: Use lemons in place of limes (use both the lemon juice and grated lemon zest). Alternatively, omit the zest and use an equal amount of apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar in place of the lime juice.
- Smoked Paprika Alternatives: An equal amount of chili powder can be used in place of the smoked paprika.
- Add Extra Flavor: Add a teaspoon of garlic powder to the sweet potatoes before roasting, add thinly sliced red onion or cubes of creamy avocado to the salad, or whisk a teaspoon of dijon mustard into the dressing.
- Add Fruity Sweetness: Sprinkle the salad with dried cranberries, dried cherries, or fresh pomegranate arils / seeds.
- Add Extra Protein:
- Beans (canned or home cooked), such as chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans or cannellini beans
- Lentils, green, red or brown cooked lentils
- Tofu, such as lentil tofu, DIY bean tofu, pumpkin seed tofu, split pea tofu, hemp tofu, chickpea tofu, or soy tofu.
- Vegan Cheese, such as crumbled vegan feta cheese or a generous sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese.
Storage
Store any leftover salad in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
FAQ
- What oils can I use in place of olive oil? Use the oil of your choice, including avocado oil or safflower oil. You can use melted virgin coconut oil for roasting the sweet potatoes, but not for the salad dressing (the oil will become firm as it cools).
- Which variety of kale should I use in the salad? Use any kale your prefer, such as curly kale, dinosaur kale, Tuscan kale, Cavolo Nero or Lacinato.
Related Recipes
Sweet Potato Kale Salad (V, GF)
Looking for a nutritious and tasty salad recipe? Look no further! This sweet potato kale salad with maple dressing is packed with nutrients (including 6 grams protein per serving) and flavor, perfect for a healthy meal or side dish.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, (about 2 medium large sweet potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil, (see notes for options)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, (sweet, not hot; see notes for options)
- salt and freshly cracked pepper
- 2 medium limes, zested and juiced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/3 cup green pumpkin seeds (pepitas), finely chopped (preferably toasted)
- 8 ounces kale , (I used curly kale; seee notes for options)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F (215C).
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Cut the rounds in half.
- In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly coated. Spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer on a large baking sheet (use two, baking sheets, if needed).
- Roast the sweet potatoes for 25 to 30 minutes until browned and tender.
- While the sweet potatoes roast, remove the tough stems and ribs from the kale leaves. Cut out the stems and ribs with the sharp knife, or pull the leaf away from the rib. Roughly tear or chop the leaves into bite size pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the remaining oil with the lime zest, lime juice, maple syrup, and salt & pepper to taste.
- Add the kale to bowl with dressing. Using clean hands, massage the kale (scrunch and release) and work in the dressing (do this for about 30 seconds or so; this gives the leaves a tender texture). Chill in the refrigerator / fridge until sweet potatoes are ready.
- Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Let cool, on the baking sheet, for about 15 minutes (or cool completely, as desired). Add the warm sweet potatoes to the kale leaves, gently tossing to combine.
- Sprinkle with the chopped pumpkin seeds and serve.
Notes
Storage: Store any leftover salad in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Oil options: Use the oil of your choice, including avocado oil or safflower oil. You can use melted virgin coconut oil for roasting the sweet potatoes, but not for the salad dressing (the oil will become firm as it cools).
Kale options: Use any kale your prefer, such as curly kale, dinosaur kale, Tuscan kale, Cavolo Nero or Lacinato.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 865mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 30659IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 3mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
I’ve made this dozens of times over the last 6 or 7 years. Sometimes I swap roasted butternut squash for the sweet potatoes. My family loves this salad! The sum is greater than the parts, it’s perfect.
The dish is beautiful and delicious! . It definitely has a fall or winter feel to it, especially with the sweet potato. I double the recipe for a gathering and everyone loved it.