Sweet Potato Beet Kale Salad with Candied Pecans
Need a healthy but incredibly delicious side dish for the holidays or your next dinner party? Check out this Roasted Sweet Potato Beet Kale Salad with Candied Pecans recipe! Bonus: it’s gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free (unless you add the optional goat cheese).
Not only is this dish beautiful, but it’s my new holiday meal obsession. Served hot or cold, this Sweet Potato Beet Kale Salad with Candied Pecans is an impressive addition to any dinner table.
The colors of the sweet potatoes and beets, alone, are gorgeous.
And they’re so easy to roast …
Wilted kale, candied pecans and some crispy bacon round out this dish to make a bright, beautiful side dish that is packed with antioxidants, vitamins and fiber along with a unique blend of tastes.
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Beet Kale Salad with Candied Pecans:
- Sweet potatoes (with skin on), cubed
- Beets (peeled), cubed
- Chopped kale
- Candied pecans
- Crispy bacon
- Salt and pepper
- Crumbled goat cheese (optional) OR a drizzle of poppyseed dressing (optional)
How to Make this Sweet Potato Beet Salad
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit; you’re going to cook the bacon + roast the sweet potatoes/beets in the oven at the same time
- Roast the cubed sweet potatoes and beets together for 25-30 minutes (honestly, you could stop right here, and you’d have a delicious side … but continue on for a knock-your-socks-off dish!)
- At the same time, on a different rack (or in a second oven if you’re lucky enough to have a double oven!) bake the bacon for 20-25 minutes. This will depend on how thick your bacon is. Check on it; you want it crispy but not burnt.
4. Sautee the kale in olive oil and water until wilted
5. When everything is cooked, combine in a bowl with 1 cup of candied pecans. You can buy them or make your own using my Candied Pecans recipe.
6. Toss everything together gently. If you don’t have a cow’s milk allergy or lactose-intolerance to contend with, you can sprinkle a little crumbled goat cheese on top first and then stir OR drizzle a little poppyseed dressing on top and then stir.
Pin it/save it and make it soon! Please let me know if you do (or have any questions). That always makes my day!
Sweet Potato Beet Kale Salad with Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 3 cups cubed sweet potatoes (with skin on)
- 2 cups cubed beets (peeled)
- 3 slices bacon
- 2 cups chopped kale leaves
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (one for roasting potatoes and beets; other for sautéing kale)
- 1 cup candied pecans (buy at store or use my recipe to make yourself)
- goat cheese crumbles OR poppyseed dressing (optional)
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit(NOTE: you’re going to cook the bacon + roast the sweet potatoes + beets in the oven at the same time)
- Coat a sheet pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil; add the cubed sweet potatoes and beets and toss; top with a dash of salt and pepper. Roast together for 25-30 minutes.
- Put 3 pieces of bacon on a separate, small baking sheet (I like to put on top of a wire rack, but this isn't necessary) and bake in the oven at the same time for 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the bacon. Check on it -- you want crispy, but not burnt, bacon.
- Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet, then sauté the kale for a 1-2 minutes; turn down the heat and add 2 Tbsp of water plus a dash of salt and pepper; cook several more minutes, until the kale is wilted; remove from the heat.
- When everything is done, combine the roasted and sauteed vegetables in a large serving bowl. You can chill and serve later ... or serve warm. Either way, wait until you are ready to serve to add the 1 cup of candied pecans and the crumbled crispy bacon. If you'd like, you can add a drizzle of poppyseed dressing; if allergies or lactose-intolerance aren't an issue, you can add a little crumbled goat cheese. Toss gently, serve and enjoy!
