• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Live-In Kitchen logo

  • Recipes
  • About
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Work Together
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Salads

    Kale and Sweet Potato Salad

    Lindsay Moe

    302 shares

    Kale and sweet potato salad is simple to make and boasts lots of flavor, color, and texture! Vibrant kale pairs with roasted sweet potatoes and a delicious orange maple dressing.

    Kale and Sweet Potato Salad in a bowl next to a blue napkin, a fork, dressing, and roasted sweet potatoes.
    Jump to Recipe

    I’ve been enjoying this salad for the last 10 years or so, and it always tastes best when the weather starts cooling off and I want to add cinnamon to everything.

    Kale and sweet potatoes are one of my favorite combos. The sweetness of the sweet potato pairs so well with the slight bitterness in the kale, and you can change them up with whatever dressing you decide.

    This is really the perfect simple fall salad. You only need a few staple ingredients to make it, and there isn’t a ton of prep or active cooking.

    Serve this fall salad for dinner alongside your favorite protein or keep it in the fridge all week for an easy lunch.

    Kale and sweet potato salad ingredients

    • Kale
    • Sweet potatoes
    • Red onion
    • Walnuts
    • Goat cheese
    • Olive oil
    • Salt & pepper
    Ingredients used in kale and sweet potato salad.

    How to make kale and sweet potato salad

    1. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large baking sheet. Bake 30-45 minutes at 375ºF.
    2. In a large bowl, add kale, a few drops of olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Using your hands, massage the oil into the kale until it is dark and softened.
    3. Divide kale, sweet potatoes, onion, walnuts, and goat cheese amongst 4 plates and top with orange maple dressing.

    Orange maple dressing ingredients

    • Olive oil
    • Orange zest
    • Orange juice
    • Maple syrup
    • Cinnamon
    • Salt & pepper

    How to make orange maple dressing

    1. Add olive oil, orange juice, orange zest, maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon to a small mason jar and seal tightly. Shake the jar until everything is combined.
    A jar full of orange maple dressing.

    Top tips

    How to make the best kale salad

    Remove the stems – I usually just hold a kale leaf in one hand and run my other hand down the stalk to remove the leaf from the stem. Sometimes this takes a few swipes, or more careful plucking. You could also cut the stem out, or they make tools like this one to help remove the stem.

    Cut it small – I like to cut my kale into pretty small, bite sized pieces. Shredding it would also be a great option. This cuts down on the amount of chewing you need to do so you don’t get tired of eating before you get full.

    Massage it – Massaging kale can help break down some of the fibers and make it easier to chew and digest. It can also help reduce the bitterness.

    A close up of kale and sweet potato salad.

    The best way to zest an orange

    I love my Deiss microplane (affiliate link) for zesting citrus. You can either hold the microplane at an angle with the tip against a cutting board and run the orange along it on all sides, or hold the orange in your non-dominant hand and use your other hand to move the microplane over the surface to collect the zest.

    Always zest your orange before cutting into it, or it will be very difficult.

    A side view of kale and sweet potato salad.

    How to store

    This will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I recommend only dressing the amount of salad you’re going to eat and storing the salad and dressing separately in the refrigerator.

    Tips for customizing kale and sweet potato salad

    • Add a scoop of cooked quinoa or wild rice
    • Swap the goat cheese for feta or shredded gruyere, or leave it out to make it vegan and dairy free
    • Use a store bought dressing instead of making your own, or try the tahini dressing from my warm kale and quinoa salad
    • Top with roasted chickpeas or your favorite protein
    • Sprinkle with pepitas or sunflower seeds
    A bowl of kale and sweet potato salad with a fork in it.

    FAQ

    What kind of kale should I use for kale salad?

    Curly kale is easy to find and work with. That is what I used for this salad. Lacinato kale is also delicious and would be a fine substitute in this recipe.

    Is goat cheese vegetarian?

    Not all goat cheese is vegetarian. Be sure to check the label and look for vegetable rennet, not animal rennet, if this is important to you.

    More salad recipes

    • Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad
    • Vegetarian Autumn Grain Bowl
    • Winter Salad with Butternut Squash
    • Rainbow Quinoa Salad
    • Southwest Salad
    • Panzanella Salad
    • Strawberry Spinach Salad
    • High Protein Fresh Vegan Salad with Hummus
    • Healthy Green Salad with Sriracha Peanut Dressing
    • Vegan Quinoa Salad with Balsamic Tofu
    • Israeli Couscous Salad with Pistachio Pesto
    Kale and Sweet Potato Salad in a bowl next to a blue napkin and a fork.

    If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

    sign up for our newsletter graphic
    Kale and Sweet Potato Salad in a bowl next to a blue napkin and a fork.

    Kale and Sweet Potato Salad

    This kale and sweet potato salad is full of flavor and texture thanks to a variety of veggies, goat cheese, and an orange maple dressing.
    4.34 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 536kcal
    Author: Lindsay Moe

    Ingredients

    Kale and Sweet Potato Salad

    • 2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a few drops for the kale
    • Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 5-6 cups stemmed kale, chopped
    • 1 cup chopped walnuts
    • ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
    • 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

    Orange Maple Dressing

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • Zest and juice of one orange
    • 1 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, optional

    Instructions

    Kale and Sweet Potato Salad

    • Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
    • Arrange the sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet in a single layer and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil until lightly coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast until lightly browned and soft, tossing once or twice, 30-45 minutes.
    • In a large bowl, add the kale along with a few drops of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage the olive oil into the kale with your hands for a few minutes until dark and softened.
    • To arrange the salad, divide kale, onion, goat cheese, walnuts, and sweet potato amongst four plates. Drizzle dressing over the top, toss to coat, and serve.

    Orange Maple Dressing

    • Combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, orange juice and zest, maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon if using. I like to stick it in a mason jar and shake, or you could whisk it all together in a small bowl.

    Notes

     

    Tips for customizing kale and sweet potato salad

    • Add a scoop of cooked quinoa or wild rice
    • Swap the goat cheese for feta or shredded gruyere, or leave it out to make it vegan and dairy free
    • Use a store bought dressing instead of making your own, or try the tahini dressing from my warm kale and quinoa salad
    • Top with roasted chickpeas or your favorite protein
    • Sprinkle with pepitas or sunflower seeds

    Nutrition

    Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 1349mg | Potassium: 894mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 24698IU | Vitamin C: 99mg | Calcium: 330mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theliveinkitchen or tag #theliveinkitchen!

    More Salads

    • Vegan tofu bowl on a checked napkin next to lemons.
      Vegan Tofu Bowl
    • High Protein Fresh Vegan Salad with Hummus in a bowl.
      High Protein Vegan Salad with Hummus
    • burrata caprese on a round plate next to a gray linen napkin, a little jug of olive oil, a bowl of salt, and a spoon
      Burrata Caprese
    • strawberry spinach salad in a bowl next to a small bowl of strawberries, a small bowl of gorgonzola cheese, and a little container of poppy seed dressing
      Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Elena Eason says

      February 20, 2019 at 8:42 am

      5 stars
      This recipe was absolutely delicious. The only change I made was with the dressing and used honey instead of maple syrup.

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        February 20, 2019 at 9:45 am

        Great swap! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    lindsay moe in a kitchen with glasses on shelves behind her

    Hi, I'm Lindsay! I've been creating easily customizable vegetarian recipes since 2011. I love the outdoors, brownies, and brand new books. I live and work in La Crosse, Wisconsin and founded Wild Flour Media to expand on my love for food photography and videography to my community and beyond.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • single serving vegan cookie dough on a spoon
      Vegan Cookie Dough for One
    • featured image of two shot glasses with buttery nipple shot
      Buttery Nipple Shot
    • zesty cream cheese stuffed mini peppers close up
      Zesty Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers
    • single serving lemonade in a glass with lemons
      Single Serving Lemonade

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Lindsay
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Extras

    • Newsletter
    • Resources
    • On the Side

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Wild Flour Media

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Live-In Kitchen

    Please read my Privacy Policy.
    302 shares