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This vegetarian roasted candy potato kale salad options maple-candied pecans, dried cranberries, crumbled feta, and a home made creamy tahini maple dressing. It’s candy, salty, crunchy, and creamy—undoubtedly not your common kale salad!
Recipe Highlights
- Straightforward, Wholesome, & Vegetarian: With simply 10 minutes of prep (and 35 minutes of idle time for roasting the candy potatoes), it is a fast, simple, and wholesome vegetarian meal that works for each dinner and lunch. It is filled with vitamins!
- Taste & Texture Selection: I like the combination of flavors and textures on this salad—roasted candy potatoes, maple-candied pecans, cranberries, feta, and massaged kale all come collectively for an ideal stability of candy, creamy, roasted, savory, and crunchy.
- Distinctive Dressing: The dressing was one other win. I blended tahini with maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and garlic, adjusting the consistency with water till it was good—creamy however drizzle-able.
- Yr-Spherical Salad, Good for Holidays: Each ingredient on this recipe might be discovered year-round, however I can already see that this Candy Potato Kale Salad can be my new favourite Fall salad for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. It has all these heat, cozy flavors which are good for the season.
- Nice for Leftovers: I like that this salad retains nicely within the fridge (for as much as 3 days), even with the dressing already blended in. The kale doesn’t get soggy, so it’s good for meal prep!
Ingredient Notes
- Candy Potatoes – Roast them prematurely for simple prep. You’ll want 1 massive candy potato (or 2 medium-sized), peeled and lower into ½” cubes.
- Pecans – Candying them with maple syrup and cinnamon makes them crunchy and candy. Retailer individually to maintain them crisp.
- Kale – Therapeutic massage with cooking vegetable oil to melt the leaves and take away bitterness – see my suggestions under. It holds up nicely, making this salad nice for meal prep.
- Dried Cranberries – Add tartness + sweetness. You can even use dried figs, cherries, or dried blueberries as an alternative.
- Feta Cheese – Gives a salty, creamy distinction. Goat cheese works in its place.
- Tahini Maple Dressing – I made it by mixing tahini, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, salt, pepper, water, and impartial oil (equivalent to canola or any vegetable cooking oil) till easy. I wish to make it forward, maintain it in a small air-tight glass jar or mason jar, and shake earlier than utilizing. Regulate thickness with water.
- Oil – Used for roasting the candy potatoes and massaging kale. Any impartial cooking oil like canola or vegetable oil works nicely.
- Garlic Powder – Provides depth to the roasted candy potatoes. You can even use recent minced garlic.
- Maple Syrup – Utilized in each the dressing and pecans for pure sweetness. Honey is an alternate.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Gives acidity within the dressing to stability flavors. Lemon juice might be substituted.
- Salt & Pepper – Enhances all of the flavors. Regulate to style.
- Word: Full components (with quantities) and directions are within the recipe card under. You possibly can scroll down or use this soar to recipe shortcut.
The right way to make Candy Potato Kale Salad
Word: This recipe overview consists of step-by-step pictures, suggestions, and tips. To skip forward to the complete recipe with ingredient quantities, click on right here. First, I roasted the candy potatoes with a easy seasoning of garlic powder, salt, and pepper within the preheated oven at 400°F till golden and barely crispy.
In the meantime, I made the maple candied pecans—as a result of plain nuts weren’t going to chop it. Toasting them first brings out their taste, and the maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla create that impossible to resist crunch.
The dressing was one other win. I blended tahini with maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and garlic, adjusting the consistency with water till it was good—creamy however drizzle-able.
As soon as every thing was prepared, I tossed the kale with a little bit of oil and massaged it (sure, it makes a distinction), then layered within the candy potatoes, pecans, cranberries, and feta. A beneficiant drizzle of the dressing, and this salad was good to go.
How To Put together Kale for Salads
- Take away the Stems: I at all times strip the leaves from the powerful stems since they are often too fibrous for salads. A fast means is to fold the leaf in half and run a knife alongside the stem, or simply tear them off by hand.
- Chop into Chunk-Sized Items: I’ve discovered that chopping kale into smaller items makes it a lot simpler to eat. Too-large items might be powerful and chewy, so I purpose for roughly 1-inch items.
- Therapeutic massage the Kale: This step makes an enormous distinction! I drizzle slightly oil and a pinch of salt over the chopped kale, then use my arms to therapeutic massage it for a couple of minute. It softens the feel and reduces bitterness.
- Let It Sit: If I’ve time, I let the massaged kale relaxation for 10–quarter-hour earlier than including different components. It turns into much more tender and absorbs flavors higher.
- Use a Daring Dressing: Kale stands up nicely to wealthy, creamy, or tangy dressings. I’ve examined it with vinaigrettes, tahini-based dressings, and even citrusy choices—all work nice!
- Make It Forward: Not like different greens, kale doesn’t wilt rapidly. I typically prep it prematurely, retailer it in an hermetic container, and it stays recent for days, making meal prep tremendous simple.
Variations
- Spicy: Including some chili flakes into your dressing or on the candy potatoes will add a kick to your salad!
- Ball jar salad: In case you are taking this on the go and don’t wish to gown your salad beforehand, add all of the components besides the dressing right into a Ball jar. As soon as able to eat, place in a bowl and gown!
- Contemporary fruit: Apples, pears, and persimmons would work nice with this salad!
Substitutions
- Squash: Butternut, Acorn, and even Kabocha squash are nice options to candy potato! Simply observe the identical steps as you’ll for baking the cubed candy potatoes.
- Nuts: Walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts are all good substitutes for pecans.
- Vinegar: Change the apple cider vinegar with white vinegar in the event you like!
- Curly Kale: Although dinosaur kale is the right leafy inexperienced for this salad, curly kale may work. You have to to therapeutic massage it with the oil, salt, and pepper slightly extra to interrupt it down, because it tends to be a tad extra dense and chewy than dino kale.
- Unsalted/Unsweetened Creamy Peanut Butter: You should utilize unsalted and unsweetened creamy peanut butter rather than tahini if wanted! Even almond or cashew butter could be nice!
Suggestions for Success
- When making the dressing, a really impartial oil like canola or vegetable oil is greatest as a result of it has little or no taste to it, thus permitting the opposite flavors and components to face out. We extremely don’t advocate utilizing olive oil as it might probably get bitter when blended.
- When utilizing an immersion blender for making dressing, it’s at all times greatest to place all of your components on the underside after which the oil on prime. Once you mix, ensure that to stay the blender all the best way on the underside first. As you mix, carry the stick up and it’ll suck the oil down, emulsifying the components collectively for a smoother, higher consistency and has much less of an opportunity to “break.”
Make-Forward Suggestions
Roasted candy potato kale salad is ideal for making forward! I wish to roast the candy potatoes and put together the candied pecans prematurely, storing them individually in hermetic containers. The dressing can be made forward and saved within the fridge for as much as every week—simply give it an excellent shake earlier than utilizing.
Since kale holds up nicely, I therapeutic massage it forward of time and retailer it within the fridge till I’m able to assemble. When it’s time to eat, I merely toss every thing collectively, drizzle on the dressing, and it’s good to go. This makes it an important possibility for meal prep, potlucks, or vacation gatherings!
Storage Suggestions
- The leftovers can last as long as 3 days in an hermetic container within the fridge. It is best to retailer the salad dressing and candied pecans individually from the remainder of the components. Nonetheless, the salad with the dressing will nonetheless maintain up nicely within the fridge for as much as 3 days because the kale doesn’t get soggy like different greens.
- Don’t freeze salad!
Extra Salad Recipes
Roasted Candy Potato Kale Salad
This vegetarian roasted candy potato kale salad options maple-candied pecans, dried cranberries, crumbled feta, and a home made creamy tahini maple dressing. It’s candy, salty, crunchy, and creamy. It retains nicely within the fridge (for as much as 3 days), so it’s good for meal prep, leftovers, making forward, potlucks, and vacation gatherings!
Components
Tahini Maple Dressing (Makes roughly 1 cup)
Salad
- 1 bunch dinosaur kale (lacinato kale), stems eliminated, chopped into massive items
- 1 tablespoon impartial cooking oil like canola or vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to style
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
Directions
Roasted Candy Potatoes
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Preheat your oven to 400 levels. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, toss candy potatoes, oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper till coated. Pour onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 25-Half-hour till golden brown. Take away from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet.
Maple Candied Pecans
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Whereas the candy potato is roasting, warmth a medium pan on medium warmth with no oil. Toast the pecans for about 6-7 minutes till aromatic, sometimes transferring them round in order that they don’t burn on one facet.
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Pour the maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract over the pecans and prepare dinner till the syrup begins to grow to be sticky and thicken ensuring to coat the pecans.
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Flip off the warmth, sprinkle with salt, stir to coat the pecans. As soon as coated, switch to a plate to chill utterly and harden.
Tahini Maple Dressing
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Place the tahini, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic clove, salt, pepper, and water, with the oil final and on prime in a measuring cup or tall glass and mix with an immersion blender till easy. Style and regulate with salt or pepper.
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Skinny out with extra water if it feels too thick.
Salad Meeting
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In a big serving bowl, mix the kale, oil, salt, and pepper. Therapeutic massage the kale along with your arms till totally coated.
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Add the cooled candy potato, maple candied pecans, cranberries, and feta cheese randomly on prime.
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Drizzle with the tahini maple dressing, add salt and pepper to style, serve, and luxuriate in!
Notes
- Candy Potato Options: Use butternut, acorn, or kabocha squash as an alternative of candy potatoes, following the identical roasting steps.
- Nut Substitutes: Swap pecans for walnuts, hazelnuts, or pine nuts.
- Vinegar Possibility: White vinegar works rather than apple cider vinegar.
- Dried Fruit Variations: Use dried figs, cherries, or blueberries as an alternative of cranberries for a special taste.
- Cheese Swap: Goat cheese can exchange feta for the same creamy, salty distinction.
- Kale Choices: I used Dinasour Kale (Lacinato). Curly kale works, too, however wants further massaging to melt its harder texture.
- Tahini Substitute: Unsalted, unsweetened peanut, almond, or cashew butter can exchange tahini.
- Make it Spicy: Add chili flakes to the dressing or roasted candy potatoes for warmth.
- Add Fruit: Apples, pears, or persimmons pair nicely with this salad.
- Storage Suggestions: Retailer the leftover candy potato kale salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. For the perfect texture, retailer the dressing and candied pecans individually; nonetheless, even with the dressing blended in, the salad ought to keep nicely within the fridge as a result of kale doesn’t get soggy like different greens.
Vitamin
Vitamin Info
Roasted Candy Potato Kale Salad
Quantity per Serving
% Each day Worth*
* % Each day Values are primarily based on a 2000 calorie weight-reduction plan.
Vitamin Disclaimer:
The dietary info on this web site is just an estimate and is offered for comfort and as a courtesy solely. The accuracy of the dietary info for any recipe on this web site just isn’t assured. It shouldn’t be used as an alternative choice to an expert nutritionist’s recommendation.
