This kale sweet potato salad with barley and homemade ginger dressing is a little more hearty and filling than your typical salad, but still healthy and tasty.
I'm a big fan of sweet potatoes in salad, which is why you'll see them in many of my recipes like this quinoa sweet potato salad or kale cauliflower salad or fall harvest salad.
So I've heard more and more about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet lately with one of the stars being barley. I'll admit, until making this salad I had never had barley, at least that I can recall. Barley is one of those power foods that supposed to be beneficial for your heart while also helpful in maintaining a healthy weight.
Browsing some salads, I came across a sweet potato, arugula and wild rice salad from Cookie and Kate. I immediately knew this was the perfect vehicle to try testing out some barley.
And this kale and sweet potato salad didn't disappoint. While I loved all the ingredients in it, to me what really put it over the top was the homemade ginger salad dressing.
No it's not a traditional ginger dressing and the ingredients together may look strange, but believe me when I say it just works.
So if you're looking for a healthy salad that is more filling, this kale and sweet potato salad is the perfect choice.
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Ingredient Notes
- Ginger dressing - while it is extra work than just buying at the store, it is worth the time and complements the salad.
- Barley - helps make the salad more filling and adds nutrients.
- Kale - I use curly kale for this salad and chop it up finely.
- Sweet potatoes - adds nutrients and flavor.
- Pepitas - every salad needs some crunch and this is where the pumpkin seeds come into play.
- Dried cranberries - adds some tartness to the salad.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can swap out ingredients. Some variations include:
- While I like the homemade ginger dressing, you can buy a dressing at the store or try a creamy balsamic dressing.
- I mentioned above that I use curly kale, but Tuscan kale works too.
- Sweet potatoes are my go-to, however butternut squash is a good substitute.
- While I like pepitas, pistachios work as well or sunflower seeds.
- Feta cheese is great for added salt, but goat cheese is a good option as well.
- I'm a fan of dried cranberries, but raisins can be used too.
Step-by-Step Photos
Make the dressing by whisking or shaking all of the ingredients together in a jar. Set aside and cook the barley according to package instructions.
Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 425°F for 15-20 minutes. Toss all of the ingredients together to make the salad.
FAQs
No although it does help. Messaging kale is best if you’re eating it immediately. By massaging it, you make it softer, less course and less bitter. It's best to massage with a drizzle of olive oil.
But kale can also hold dressing for much longer unlike romaine or spinach. By dressing the salad and letting it sit for a few hours, you will soften the kale and remove the bitterness.
Yes. You get the nutrients of the kale and sweet potatoes and the dressing is lighter and has less sugar than most salad dressings.
While you can prepare ahead of time, you don't want it to sit in the vinaigrette for longer than a couple hours at most.
You can keep the chopped up kale and diced sweet potatoes in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Then just mix in the dressing when ready.
Benefits of Kale
Kale has become super popular and there is good reason for it. Some of the health benefits of kale include
- Among most nutrient-dense foods on planet.
- Great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
- Can lower cholesterol.
- Loaded with antioxidants to help battle disease and illness.
- Good source of minerals most people don’t eat enough of.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use fresh kale and chop yourself so you can easily remove the stems. Don't buy the pre-packaged chopped kale unless that's your only option.
- It is mentioned before, but massage the kale with some olive oil to make it less course and bitter.
- Be consistent with the size you dice the sweet potatoes so they cook evenly.
- If serving immediately, add the warm sweet potatoes and farro/barley to the kale right before tossing with the dressing. The kale will hold up to the warm and you'll have a nice warm salad.
- If using for leftovers or a make-ahead lunch, keep the kale separate from all the other ingredients and toss to combine in the morning or right before serving.
Other Salad Recipes
If you’ve tried this kale sweet potato salad or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Kale Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
Ginger Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoon shallot, chopped
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Salad
- 1 cup barley or farro, uncooked
- 1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½" cubes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup pepitas, roasted
- 5 cups kale, chopped and stems removed
- ½ cup feta cheese
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
Ginger Dressing
- To make the dressing, either whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl or put all ingredients in mason jar and shake until mixed. Set aside.
Salad
- Cook barley or farro according to package instructions. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place diced sweet potatoes in even layer. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until sweet potato is tender, flipping halfway through.
- Toss the kale, sweet potato, barley, pepitas, cranberries and feta cheese in large bowl until mixed. Add dressing right before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh kale and chop yourself so you can easily remove the stems. Don't buy the pre-packaged chopped kale unless that's your only option.
- It is mentioned before, but massage the kale with some olive oil to make it less course and bitter.
- Be consistent with the size you dice the sweet potatoes so they cook evenly.
- If serving immediately, add the warm sweet potatoes and farro/barley to the kale right before tossing with the dressing. The kale will hold up to the warm and you'll have a nice warm salad.
- If using for leftovers or a make-ahead lunch, keep the kale separate from all the other ingredients and toss to combine in the morning or right before serving.
Chris says
That ginger dressing sounds delicious!
Barb says
I made the recipe "as written" as much as my pantry allowed - substituted cashews for pepitas and a quinoa blend for the farro/barley blend. It was delicious!
Ryan says
Glad you enjoyed it!
JB says
The recipe says that it serves 6 but the nutrition says “1g”. Please can you clarify if the nutritional information listed is for one serving (I.e., 1/6 of the recipe) or if it is for the entire recipe. Thank you
Ryan says
It is for 1 serving. So 1/6 of the recipe. I updated the information to make it more clear. Thanks!
JB says
Thank you, Ryan, for responding to my question. Great recipe. I tossed everything at room temp. Very satisfying and filling salad. As indicated in the nutritional info, it really is more like a bowl than a salad. Making it again for Christmas brunch.
Ryan says
Glad you enjoyed it!