Baby Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
This autumn salad has so much we crave in the season: the deep, rich flavor of sweet potatoes, a crunch of toasted pecans and the bright juicy pop of pomegranate — all layered into earthy, fresh baby kale. Follow it with roasted cauliflower soup, lentil or black bean soup, and you’ve got a satisfying, delicious and wholesome dinner.
Here's a trick for easily getting the seeds out of a pomegranate. Fill a large bowl with water. Cut the fruit into quarters, then submerge one of them in the water while you break it apart and release the seeds. The yellow membranes will float to the top, where you can scoop them off and discard, while the seeds sink to the bottom. Repeat till you have all the seeds, then strain.
Serves 6.
Ingredients
1/2 cup pecan halves
1 medium sweet potato, still in its skin
5 ounces baby kale
Seeds of half a pomegranate (about 1/2 cup seeds)
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pecans in a pie pan or small roasting dish and toast them in the oven five minutes. Let cool, then break the halves into smaller pieces – or roughly chop them.
2. Turn up the oven to 400 degrees. Prick the sweet potato with a fork in six or seven places, put it in a baking dish and roast it till it's just tender, about 40 minutes (slimmer sweet potatoes will cook faster, and fatter ones may take a little longer). You don't want to roast it till it's meltingly soft or it will fall apart too much in the salad. Let it cool enough to handle, then peel it and cut into 3/4 inch cubes.
3. Make the dressing: Pour the vinegar into a small bowl and whisk in the salt. Pour in the olive oil in a slow stream, whisking as you pour; continue whisking until it's all incorporated.
4. Place the kale, sweet potato cubes, pecans, and pomegranate seeds in a large salad bowl. Pour on the dressing and toss well to combine.
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Baby Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 5 ounces baby kale
- Seeds of half a pomegranate (about 1/2 cup seeds)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pecans in a pie pan or small roasting dish and toast them in the oven five minutes. Let cool, then break the halves into smaller pieces – or roughly chop them.
- Turn up the oven to 400 degrees. Prick the sweet potato with a fork in six or seven places, put it in a baking dish and roast it till it's just tender, about 40 minutes (slimmer sweet potatoes will cook faster, and fatter ones may take a little longer). You don't want to roast it till it's meltingly soft or it will fall apart too much in the salad. Let it cool enough to handle, then peel it and cut into 3/4 inch cubes.
- Make the dressing: Pour the vinegar into a small bowl and whisk in the salt. Pour in the olive oil in a slow stream, whisking as you pour; continue whisking until it's all incorporated.
- Place the kale, sweet potato cubes, pecans, and pomegranate seeds in a large salad bowl. Pour on the dressing and toss well to combine.