Sweet Potato Kale Salad
Sweet potato and kale salad is a simple, hearty salad that is incredibly easy to make. Roasted sweet potatoes paired with salty, crunchy pistachios, sweet dried cranberries all over a bed of kale that is tossed with a sweet, tangy maple vinaigrette. Enjoy this meal worthy salad for lunch or dinner, it would even be great on your Thanksgiving dinner table.
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Why you will love this salad recipe
- Easy to make – this roasted sweet potato kale salad only has a few steps and comes together so easily. While the potatoes are roasting, make the dressing and massage the kale. Add the sweet potatoes, pistachios and cranberries and serve. Using an air fryer to roast the sweet potatoes makes this recipe so quickly, it’s ready in under 20 minutes.
- Simple ingredients – Don’t let the simple ingredients for this salad fool you, it’s packed with flavor thanks to the maple dijon vinaigrette. This salad is vegan, gluten free and dairy free.
- Great for meal prep – kale is so hearty and stands up well to dressing, you can easily make this salad and enjoy it for days, making it perfect for meal prep!
- Filling, meal worthy salad – This salad is pretty filling on it’s own, but you could easily add some grains like quinoa or protein from chicken, chickpeas or salmon to make this a full meal.
- Perfect fall or Thanksgiving salad – this would be the perfect Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving salad, you can roast the sweet potatoes, make the dressing and massage the kale in advance. Reheat the sweet potatoes right before serving and enjoy this as part of your holiday meal.
Ingredients
Kale and sweet potato salad
- Kale – I love using Tuscan kale (lacinato or dinosaur kale) but you could also use curly kale or red kale in this recipe. Be sure to remove the thick stem and finely chop the kale for the best texture.
- Sweet potatoes (or yams) – cubed sweet potatoes roast up and get nice and sweet in the air fryer or oven. The smaller the cubes, the faster the sweet potatoes will cook!
- Olive oil – olive oil coats the sweet potatoes, helping create a crunchy crust on the exterior while also helping the salt stick.
- Salted, shelled pistachios – the pistachios add crunch and a salty bite to the salad. You could also use pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, pecans or walnuts.
- Dried cranberries – I love the added sweetness and pop of color from dried cranberries. They make this the ultimate fall salad. You could also use golden raisins, dried cherries or chopped dates.
Maple Dijon Dressing
- Dijon mustard – dijon mustard adds so much flavor to the dressing and also helps to emulsify the dressing (allowing the oil and vinegar to come together).
- Maple syrup – maple syrup adds sweetness to the vinaigrette, making it the perfect fall salad dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar – vinegar helps to balance out the sweetness and adds some tartness to the dressing. You could also use balsamic vinegar for a different flavor.
- Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil is best for dressings, but you could also use olive oil or avocado oil.
- Salt – salt helps to elevate all the flavors and helps to add seasoning to the salad as well.
How to make kale and sweet potato salad
Start by cutting the sweet potatoes down into cubes (about ½ inch cubes). Add the sweet potatoes to a bowl and add olive oil and salt and stir to coat the sweet potatoes.
Roast the sweet potatoes in the air fryer or oven.
While the sweet potatoes are roasting make the dressing. Add all the ingredients to a jar with a tight fitting lid or bowl. Shake the dressing until well combined or whisk with a fork.
Prep the kale, remove the thick stems, finely chop the kale and add it to the bowl.
Pour half the dressing over the kale and massage it with your hand for 1-3 minutes until the kale starts to wilt a bit and change texture.
Once the sweet potatoes are done roasting, let them cool 5 minutes before adding to the salad along with the pistachios, dried cranberries and the rest of the dressing.
Top tips
- Massage the kale for 1-3 minutes to help break down the kale before adding the rest of the ingredients. This can help remove some of the bitterness from the kale and also make it much easier to chew!
- Be sure to remove the thick stem from the kale before chopping it. If you are buying bagged kale, take time to remove the thick stems.
- If you want to make the dressing creamier, use ¼ cup of tahini in place of the olive oil and add 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed to get the right consistency (the dressing will thicken after 3-4 minutes).
- Change up the flavors by adding spices to the sweet potatoes or using different ingredients in the salad (see below for ideas).
Other additions or substitutions
- Sweet: raisins, dried cherries, pomegranate arils, thinly sliced apples, roasted beets
- Salty: feta or goat cheese, crumbled bacon
- Crunch: Air fryer roasted chickpeas or gluten free croutons (air fryer)
- Grain: quinoa, brown rice, millet, farro, wild rice
- Spice; Add some smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to the sweet potatoes before roasting (along with some olive oil to help the spices stick)
- Protein: add instant pot shredded chicken breast, salmon bites (air fried), chickpeas, white beans, balsamic roasted tofu
Common questions
What is the best way to prep kale for salad
- Remove the thick stems from the kale
- Finely chop the kale into small pieces. Unlike delicate greens like lettuce or spinach, kale is hearty and dense, so chopping it up makes it easier to chew and digest.
- Wash and dry (use your salad spinner makes this so easy)
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of dressing and massage the kale (use your hands to work the dressing into the kale) for 2-3 minutes until the kale changes texture and starts to soften.
Can you substitute kale with other greens?
Yes, if you want to use a different salad green, I would recommend arugula, spinach or mixed greens. These do not hold up as well as kale so wait to add the dressing until right before serving.
Another great option would be to use shredded brussel sprouts or shredded cabbage in place of the kale. These are much heartier veggies and would hold up to having dressing on them for a few days. This would be a great option for meal prep.
How to roast sweet potatoes for kale salad
- Air fryer: Cook at 390F for 13 minutes. Stop and shake the basket 2-3 times for the best texture. See all the details on how to get the perfect air fryer roasted sweet potatoes.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 425F. Once preheated, add the sweet potatoes to the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Take out of the oven, stir well and roast an additional 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through and start to caramelize on the outside.
Do you have to peel sweet potatoes before roasting?
It is not necessary to peel sweet potatoes before roasting. Choosing to peel the potatoes would be a personal preference. Typically I don’t peel the sweet potatoes but always make sure to scrub the outside before cutting.
Can you make sweet potato and kale salad in advance?
This kale roasted sweet potato salad is perfect for meal prep as it can be made in advance (you can even add the dressing in advance) . Kale is much sturdier and holds up to being stored with dressing vs other greens.
If you love the sweet potatoes warm, store them separately then reheat in the air fryer or oven until warmed through, then add them to the leftover kale salad.
Can you serve this roasted sweet potato salad cold?
This kale sweet potato salad can be served warm, hot or cold, depending on your preference. I love when the sweet potatoes are still warm from the oven but have also enjoyed leftovers of this salad straight from the fridge.
Can you use other dressings for the salad?
If you love a creamier dressing, I highly recommend trying out my creamy maple dressing (with tahini). It’s thick and creamy and would be the perfect alternative to this vinaigrette style dressing. You could also try this with a cilantro lime vinaigrette or lemon herb dressing for a different flavor profile.
Storing leftover harvest sweet potato salad
- Fridge: The entire salad can be stored in the fridge fully assembled for up to 3 days. If you want to reheat the sweet potatoes before serving, store them separately in a container and reheat in the air fryer, oven or microwave before adding them to the salad.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing salad greens.
Substitutions
- Kale – if you don’t have kale or don’t love kale, you can use baby spinach, arugula or mixed greens. Don’t add the dressing until right before serving if using these greens. You could also use shredded brussel sprouts or thinly sliced cabbage in place of the kale for a more hearty salad that could tolerate having the dressing added in advance.
- Sweet potatoes – carrots would be a great alternative to sweet potatoes. Roasting carrots is very similar to roasting sweet potatoes.
- Olive oil – use avocado oil, coconut oil or any neutral cooking oil to roast the sweet potatoes in. If you don’t love using added oil, simply omit it.
- Pistachios – I love using dry roasted salted pistachios, but other great options are pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, sliced almonds, pecans or walnuts.
- Dried cranberries – use dried cherries, golden raisins, chopped dates, or fresh pomegranate arils
- Dijon mustard – this is tough to replace in the dressing, as the flavor would not be the same. Also mustard helps to emulsify the dressing, so it’s pretty important in the recipe. If you don’t have dijon, try my maple tahini dressing (you can use tahini, almond butter or cashew butter in the recipe).
- Maple syrup – you could also use honey or date syrup in place of the maple syrup.
- Olive oil – Avocado oil would be a good alternative. If you are plant based and don’t use oil, substitute the oil for ¼ cup of tahini and a few tablespoons of water.
- Apple cider vinegar – you could also use balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, lemon juice or lime juice in place of the ACV.
If you love this kale sweet potato salad, you should try
Quinoa and Roast Pumpkin Salad
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Sweet Potato Kale Salad
Sweet potato and kale salad is bright, vibrant and so filling. This salad has simple ingredients but is packed with flavor. Roasted sweet potatoes are paired with dried cranberries and pistachios and served over a bed of kale topped with a simple maple vinaigrette. This is the perfect fall or winter salad and would even be great for Thanksgiving.
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Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 6 cups chopped kale - about 2 bunches
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup pistachios, salted
Maple Vinaigrette
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Prep the sweet potatoes. Scrub the outside, cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes.
- Add the cubed sweet potatoes to a bowl and add olive oil and salt. Stir well.
- Add sweet potato cubes to air fryer basket (or to a baking sheet). Cook in the air fryer at 390F for 13-15 minutes, pause to shake the basket 2-3 times during cooking. If roasting in the oven, put in preheated 425F oven for 25 minutes, take out to stir the sweet potatoes then return to oven 10-15 minutes.
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and whisk with a fork or add to a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well.
- Wash and dry kale. Destem the kale and finely chop it.
- Add chopped kale to large bowl. Add about 1/2 the salad dressing and massage the kale with your hands 1-3 minutes until the kale changes texture and starts to soften a bit.
- When sweet potatoes are done roasting, let them sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Once cooled slightly, add to bowl with kale along with the dried cranberries and pistachios. Mix well. Taste and add more dressing as needed.
Equipment
- Air fryer optional
Notes
Note: This recipe makes 2 large salads or 4 side salads.
Top tips
- Massage the kale for 1-3 minutes to help break down the kale before adding the rest of the ingredients. This can help remove some of the bitterness from the kale and also make it much easier to chew!
- Be sure to remove the thick stem from the kale before chopping it. If you are buying bagged kale, take time to remove the thick stems.
- If you want to make the dressing creamier, use ¼ cup of tahini in place of the olive oil and add 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed to get the right consistency (the dressing will thicken after 3-4 minutes).
- Change up the flavors by adding spices to the sweet potatoes or using different ingredients in the salad (see below for ideas).
- Sweet: raisins, dried cherries, pomegranate arils, thinly sliced apples, roasted beets
- Salty: feta or goat cheese, crumbled bacon
- Crunch: Air fryer roasted chickpeas or gluten free croutons (air fryer)
- Grain: quinoa, brown rice, millet, farro, wild rice
- Spice; Add some smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to the sweet potatoes before roasting (along with some olive oil to help the spices stick)
- Protein: add shredded chicken breast, salmon bites (air fried), chickpeas, white beans, balsamic roasted tofu
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
462
Fat
24
g
Carbohydrates
58
g
Fiber
11
g
Sugar
23
g
Protein
8
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
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