Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale and Quinoa Salad
User Reviews
4.4
Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale and Quinoa Salad
Description
The Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale and Quinoa Salad involves roasting cubed sweet potatoes tossed with oil, salt, and pepper until tender, while separately cooking quinoa and sautéing onions and garlic until caramelized. Kale is then added to the pan and cooked until wilted and tender. After cooling each component, the salad is mixed with red wine vinegar, fresh thyme, and a hint of nutmeg for seasoning.
The textures range from the soft, sweet potatoes to the slightly chewy kale and fluffy quinoa, balanced by the bright acidity of the vinegar. The nutmeg adds warmth, enhancing the autumnal flavor profile. Serving the salad chilled or at room temperature makes it suitable for batch preparation or packed lunches.
The method emphasizes cooling all ingredients before assembly to maintain distinct textures and allow flavors to meld. Quinoa can be cooked ahead to save time. Caramelizing onions slowly is key to their sweetness and depth.
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potato chopped into 1-inch cubes, medium
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil divided, or olive oil
- salt to taste, freshly ground
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
- 1/2 cup quinoa rinsed and drained, uncooked, dry
- 1 cup water
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 kale de-stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces, curly, bunch
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon thyme chopped fresh
- pinch nutmeg freshly grated is best but ground will work too
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss sweet potatoes with 1 Tablespoon of oil in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and arrange evenly onto a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool on the counter for a bit then transfer to the refrigerator to cool more.
- While the potatoes are roasting, bring quinoa and 1 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Once cooked, allow to cool, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool more.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until the onion has caramelized to a golden brown. This should take about 15 minutes. Stir in the kale, cooking until wilted, bright green and tender. Transfer the kale mixture to a bowl, and cool to room temperature in the refrigerator.
- Once all the ingredients have cooled (at least 30-60 minutes), combine the sweet potatoes, kale and onion mixture, red wine vinegar, fresh thyme and nutmeg in a large bowl. Season to taste with sea salt and ground pepper. Gently stir to combine and serve.
Notes
- Allow all ingredients to cool to room temperature before combining to preserve texture and flavor balance.
- Prepare quinoa ahead of time in larger batches to save time on salad assembly.
- Caramelize onions slowly for best sweetness and flavor development.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 168 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1/4 of recipe | |
| Calories | 168kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 34g | 11% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
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