My Kale and Sweet Potato Salad is a simple to prepare dish that is so delicious. It has great texture and fantastic fresh flavour. A salad base of kale, sweet potato and almonds are tossed with a light, creamy dressing seasoned with fresh lemon juice and mustard. This Kale Salad makes the perfect side dish for your next gathering, barbecue or potluck!
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Why we love this recipe:
We love easy salads that are full of vibrant flavours and textures. This easy kale salad makes an ideal side dish, light lunch or add some extra protein to it for an even more substantial dish.
You will love this Kale and Sweet Potato Salad because:
- It is simple to prepare, and unlike many salads, can be made in advance.
- It is full of nutritious ingredients that work so well with the creamy lemon dressing.
- With a delicious base like this salad, you can make a complete meal by adding some protein such as Roast Chicken, tofu or prawns.
- It is ideal for entertaining - easily adjust the quantities to feed a crowd.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Kale - we have used curly kale in this recipe.
Sweet potato - when roasted, sweet potato has a deliciously sweet, caramelised flavour that works so well with the kale.
Red onion - you could also use a yellow/brown onion or spring onion/scallion if you prefer.
Almonds - add fantastic texture. You could also use cashews, pine nuts or pepitas.
Mayonnaise - for the best flavour, I recommend whole egg mayonnaise.
Greek yoghurt - adds a delicious thickness and creaminess to the dressing.
Olive oil - my preference is for extra virgin olive oil. We use this in the dressing and for roasting the sweet potato.
Lemon juice - adds a lovely burst of fresh flavour.
Honey - balances out the flavours in the dressing.
Dijon mustard - adds a sharp, spicy flavour.
Salt and pepper - for the best flavour, my preference is for sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Always ensure your dishes are well seasoned to your liking.
Step by Step Instructions:
- Chop the sweet potato into cubes and roast. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Finely shred the kale and add it to a medium sized bowl, along with the finely sliced onion.
- In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients. Stir well and check that the seasoning is to your liking. You may like more lemon, honey, or salt and pepper.
- Add the dressing to the bowl of kale. Stir well to combine. Turn into a serving bowl and enjoy.
Tips for Success and FAQs:
Kale is described as a “superfood”, which means that it is nutrient-dense. It is a member of the brassica family along with broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, etc. Because of its tough, fibrous leaves, it is often served cooked. However, with some careful preparation, it makes a great salad and I have some tips for you to prepare it.
Tips to tenderise kale:
Finely shredding kale for a salad makes it easy to eat raw. However, if you prefer to chop kale and have larger pieces of leaves, there are severaI ways to make the leaves tender and easier to eat.
One way is to dress the salad and let it sit for about an hour. This would make most leafy salads wilt and become soggy, but not kale, it merely softens the leaves.
The other way is to “massage” the leaves. I know it sounds strange, but believe me, it makes a difference. By massaging kale, you break down the fibres, making the leaves easier to digest. Just drizzle the chopped leaves with a small amount of olive oil, a small amount of coarse kitchen salt or salt flakes, and massage them for two or three minutes between your fingers. Really work the kale through your fingers, rub it and squeeze it together. This will tenderise the fibrous greens. You need very little oil and salt; it will become distributed as you vigorously rub the leaves together.
We have used curly kale as it is more readily available, but you can use any type.
Ideally, I like to buy organic kale. Look for bright green leaves which are firm and strong. Avoid any that are wilting or showing signs of yellowing.
The leaf contains a fibrous central stem which first needs to be removed. To do this, hold the stem in one hand and with your other hand strip the leaves along the stem away from you. Alternatively, you can use a sharp knife to do this. Just fold the leaf in half, hold it with your non-dominant hand, then take a sharp knife in your other hand and cut the length of the leaf against the stem. Set the stem aside for another use.
More delicious recipes for you to try:
Try some more of our favourite salad recipes which are full of flavour:
- Charred Corn and Black Bean Salad
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad
- Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower Salad
- Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad
- Pumpkin, Cranberry and Almond Salad
- Sweet and Sour Carrot Salad
- Kale and Apple Slaw
- Rocket and Pear Salad
Enjoy the fantastic fresh flavours and wonderful textures of my Kale and Sweet Potato Salad. We love to serve this salad as a side dish, but it is great for a light lunch and ideal for meal prep!
Be sure to let me know in the comments below when you have given it a try.
Alex xx
Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
Salad base:
- 4 cups finely shredded kale - after ribs removed See Notes 1, 2 and 3
- 1 small red onion
- ¼ cup roasted almonds - roughly chopped
- 500 g (17 oz) sweet potato
- 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil - for roasting the sweet potato
Dressing:
- ½ cup Greek-style yoghurt - full fat
- ¼ cup whole egg mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 4
- 3 teaspoon lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoon honey - or to taste
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste See Note 5
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (390 degrees F).Line a sheet pan with non-stick baking paper.
- Peel and cut sweet potato into 2 ½ cm (1 inch) cubes.Place on the sheet pan with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes until slightly golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
- Add the finely shredded kale to a medium-sized bowl.
- Peel the red onion and cut it in half. Slice the onion finely and add it to the bowl with the kale.
- In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients. Stir well and check that the seasoning is to your liking. You may like more lemon, honey, or salt and pepper.
- Add the dressing to the bowl of kale. Top the salad with the sweet potato and almonds. Toss well to combine.Turn into a serving bowl and enjoy.
Notes
- To separate the kale leaves from the stem, hold the stem in one hand and, using the other hand, strip the leaves along the stem away from you. There’s no need to discard the kale stems; use them in minestrone or slice them thinly and add to a stir fry.
- To shred the kale, roll up a few of the leaves together to a tight bundle. Hold them with your non-cutting hand and use a sharp knife to slice them as thinly as possible.
- If the kale is shredded finely, you may find it is not necessary to massage it.
- In Australia, the tablespoon is 20 ml or 4 teaspoons. In many other countries, the tablespoon is 15 ml or 3 teaspoons. Please adjust the measurement if necessary.
- Adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour.
- Please note, the nutritional information is based on this salad serving four people as side-dish. The nutritional information is an estimate only.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
LynCraggs says
Nice salad, with good texture. Would recommend soaking the onion in cold water for 15-20mins prior to remove the bite and strong onion flavour. Will make again.
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Lyn,
Thank you for your lovely comments on the Kale and Sweet Potato Salad. I appreciate that you took the time to contact me. 🙂
Julia says
Delicious salad:)
Alexandra says
Hi Julia, I am so pleased that you enjoyed the Kale and Sweet Potato Salad. Thank you for letting me know. 🙂
Tricia says
What do you suggest I substitute the Greek yoghurt for to make DF, please? Your recipes look amazing.
Alexandra says
Hi Tricia!
Thank you 🙂
You have a few options:
- use a soy based yoghurt
- add a little extra mayo and thin it out with a little water
- or thin the mayo with olive oil and lemon juice/vinegar to suit your taste.
I hope this helps.