kale sweet potato salad

This kale sweet potato salad is the most satisfying mix of sweet, salty and savory. We combine fresh and roasted kale, creamy chunks of sweet potato, juicy grapes, dried tart cherries and walnuts into a generous salad. A crispy pancetta balsamic dressing pulls it all together!

A few things about this kale sweet potato salad make it super delicious and exciting. For one, we take advantage of the hot oven from roasting the sweet potatoes and also roast half the kale. The addition of crispy, salty kale chips to a kale salad is a concept I once saw from Alison Roman, and it’s just so fun.

We ramp up the sweet notes with dried cherries and juicy grapes, then we offset that with salty, crunchy stuff. Like the crispy pancetta dressing, frilly roast kale and walnuts.

It’s a salad that is brimming with textures, flavors, and beautiful colors-- perfect for autumn and winter when we all want salads but struggle to be inspired by the produce aisle.

I hope this sweet potato kale salad keeps you reaching for vegetables and sharing creative and delicious food with your friends and family, no matter the season!

what you need for this kale sweet potato salad:

how to make the kale sweet potato salad:

1. Roast the sweet potatoes and half of the kale.
2. Massage remaining kale with salt and place in salad bowl.
3. Cook pancetta, save half for topping the salad.
4. Make pancetta balsamic vinaigrette.
5. Assemble salad: massaged kale, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted kale, grapes, dried cherries, walnuts, crispy pancetta.
6. Toss with half the dressing and serve, passing more dressing on the side.

ways to modify this roasted sweet potato kale salad and make it your own:

• Add grilled chicken or sliced steak
• Toss in rinsed chickpeas
• Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds for extra pop
• Swap dried cranberries for cherries
• Roast any winter squash in place of the sweet potatoes
• Use a mix of your favorite kale varieties for extra color and texture
• Swap in candied pecans instead of toasted walnuts
• Use smoky bacon in place of the pancetta
• Add cubed avocado
• Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese

how to make this kale salad ahead:

This salad is crazy flexible and can be made fully ahead, or prepped in stages so the final assembly is really quick. 

Kale and sweet potatoes are really sturdy, and can stand in the dressing without falling apart. But it’s the roasted kale that will get soggy and lose its fantastic crispiness-- so always add that just before serving.

You can do any combination below to cut down on prep time before the meal.

what you can prep:

• Fresh kale: can be chopped, rinsed and dried up to 2 days ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Roasted kale: can be roasted the morning of.
• Sweet potatoes: can be roasted up to 1 day ahead.
• Pancetta balsamic dressing: can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store in the fridge. Gently reheat it for 10- 15 seconds in the microwave to soften the fat and re-emulsify the dressing.
• Roast the walnuts up to a week ahead.

my entertaining strategy:

I prefer to chop and roast everything in the morning. Assemble the salad with everything but the roasted kale up to a few hours ahead. I make the dressing an hour or so ahead, so I don’t need to refrigerate it. Then just before serving, I throw in the crispy kale and toss everything with the dressing. 

a few more tips:

• Most often, pancetta is available in pre-diced packages in the grocery store. Unfortunately, it’s chopped by a machine and that machine doesn’t usually do a great job. I prefer to go through and dice the pieces a little finer, while also tossing out the chunks of straight fat. It’s a way to use what’s available, but make it a little bit better!
• Use any type of kale you want here! My favorite kale for salads is tuscan kale, but my favorite for roasting is curly kale. Those frilly edges just get so crispy and shattery! So I usually buy 1 bunch of each, chop and wash them, mix them up in a bowl and pull out half of that mixture to roast. It keeps the salad fun and interesting!

more kale salad recipes to try!

tuscan kale salad

kale caesar salad

warm kale salad with raisins

kale slaw with apples (crunchy and sweet!)

quinoa kale salad with oranges and lemon tahini dressing

kale and brussels sprout salad with pecorino and almonds

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