Spicy Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad with Avocado
Spicy roasted sweet potato cubes, tender kale, creamy avocado, sweet red onion and crunchy pepitas tossed in a tangy, homemade honey mustard dressing makes a hearty and delicious main dish salad that's full of flavor and texture.
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 727kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups kale or one bunch (4-5 cups)
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ large avocado or one small
- 2 tablespoons pepitas shelled pumpkin seeds
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 1 pound sweet potatoes peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Honey Mustard Dressing
- ¼ cup dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
Make the honey mustard dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt. Stream in olive oil and whisk until smooth and creamy. You can also add all of the ingredients to a mason jar and shake vigorously to combine. Set aside.
- Roast or air fry the sweet potatoes
- Add peeled and cubed sweet potatoes to a sheet pan, drizzle with a tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with spice mix of chipotle powder, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Toss to coat everything thoroughly.
- Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and crisp. To air fry, toss sweet potato cubes with oil and seasonings and air fry at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Prep and massage kale
- Wash the kale thoroughly and strip the leaves from the tough stems. Dry leaves well with a clean kitchen towel or salad spinner.
- Roll the kale leaves up tightly and chop into bite-sized pieces. Add to a mixing bowl, drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Massage kale for 2-3 minutes until it becomes tender, glossy and reduces in volume by about half. Add a few tablespoons of dressing and toss thoroughly to combine.
Assemble the salad
- Add dressed kale to a serving dish, top with warm sweet potatoes, thinly sliced red onion, sliced avocado and pepitas. Serve with more dressing on the side.
Notes
- When roasting the sweet potatoes, spread them out across the baking sheet. Giving them some space helps get them crispy. If the pan is crowded, the potatoes will steam and be a lot softer.
- Do not skip massaging the kale. This is the most important part of the recipe! Massaging the kale is the only way to get it tender enough to be enjoyable in a salad.
- This salad is amazing the way it is, but it's also a great base recipe to add more fun ingredients. Add some crumbled feta or goat cheese or toss in quinoa, farro or your favorite grain to make it even heartier.
- To lessen the "bite" of raw red onion, soak the slices in ice water for 3-4 minutes and then pat dry with a paper towel. This is a great tip to reduce the sharpness when using raw red onion in a salad recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 727kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 1137mg | Potassium: 1717mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 45809IU | Vitamin C: 142mg | Calcium: 455mg | Iron: 6mg