Sweet Potato Kale Salad

Kale sweet potato salad in wood bowl with wood salad tongs resting in bowl.

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.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword kale sweet potato salad, roasted sweet potato and kale salad, sweet potato kale salad

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 13

Total Time 18

Servings

Calories 462kcal

Author Samantha Rowland

Equipment

Air fryer optional

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.

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).

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 shredded chicken breast, salmon bites (air fried), chickpeas, white beans, balsamic roasted tofu

Storing leftover kale and 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.

Nutrition