Fall Kale Harvest Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing
This Fall Kale Harvest Salad is the perfect combination of fall flavors and loaded with seasonal ingredients! Eat this hearty salad as a meal by itself, a filling side dish, or with your favorite protein mixed in. The main ingredients are kale, roasted sweet potatoes, nutty quinoa, chickpeas, crisp apples, and pumpkin seeds. And a creamy Maple Tahini Dressing ties everything together! 😊 Roast the sweet potatoes and cook the quinoa ahead of time so all you'll need is 10 minutes to throw everything together when it's time to eat.
Ingredients
- 6 cups kale, packed
- 1 cup diced apple
- 1 cup diced sweet potatoes, cooked (1 small potato or half large potato), see step 2 for roasting instructions
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- ½ cup feta cheese
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup chopped red onion or shallot
- 1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
For Maple Tahini Dressing
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ¼ cup lemon juice (1 large lemon or 2 small lemons)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup water (more as needed to thin it out)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook your quinoa: if you already have quinoa cooked, skip to step 2. Cook the quinoa according the package instructions. Typically, quinoa will need to be rinsed first. Then, add it to a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool while the other components of the salad are prepared.
- While the quinoa is simmering, cook your sweet potatoes: if you already have sweet potatoes cooked, skip to step 3. Use your favorite method to cook your sweet potatoes. INote: like to use my diced roasted diced sweet potatoes in the oven for this. To do so, preheat the oven to 425℉ (218°C). Prep a large sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with olive oil spray for easy cleanup. Dice the potato in 2 inch pieces, toss them in ½ tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Add them to the sheet pan and roast for 20-25 minutes until fork tender.
- Prep your kale. This step is optional, but highly recommended! Chop your kale into ribbons or small pieces based on your preference. Add a pinch of salt, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to your kale. Massage the kale between your fingers and set it aside to set while you prepare the dressing. This helps soften the kale.
- While the kale marinates, make your dressing. Option 1: add all the dressing ingredients to a food processor and blend for 30 seconds-1 minute until smooth. Add water to thin it out as needed. Option 2: mince the garlic and then add all the dressing ingredients to a bowl or measuring cup and whisk. Add water to thin it out as needed.
- Dice the apple and red onion or shallot (if using). I suggest chopping everything in small pieces so you get a little bit of everything in each bite! In a large bowl, add the following ingredients: quinoa, sweet potatoes, massaged kale, apples, pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, chickpeas, shallot or red onion (if using).
- Add the dressing on top and give it all a toss.
- Hint: If you are making this salad in advance, add the dressing right before serving.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
- Don't skip the step of massaging the kale. It really makes a difference in the texture of the salad.
- Wait to add the dressing until right before serving the salad.
- Meal Prep - cook the quinoa and sweet potatoes ahead of time. You can also dice the apples and prep your kale ahead of time and make the dressing in advance. Everything will be ready to go when you want to assemble the salad!
- Storage - store leftovers of this kale harvest salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. I suggest storing the salad ingredients separately from the dressing so the salad doesn't get soggy. The dressing will stay good in the fridge for about 1 week.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 430kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 14gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 640mgFiber: 10g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
