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.
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.
While Lauren and I aren't on diets I'm also on the lookout for good healthy ingredients to incorporate into our meals. And we just so happened to be eating a little on the bad side lately, so I decided to look for a recipe where I could try barley.
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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Recipe Ingredients
- Barley - farro also works great.
- Sweet potatoes - helps make the salad filling.
- Kale - holds up well to the dressing.
- Olive oil - cooks the sweet potatoes and in the ginger dressing.
- Kosher salt and black pepper - enhances the flavor.
- Pepitas - adds crunch.
- Feta cheese - goat cheese works well too.
- Dried cranberries - adds some tartness.
- Apple cider vinegar - needed acidity in the dressing.
- Shallot, ginger, garlic - the combination works great for the ginger dressing.
- Low sodium soy sauce - adds some saltiness.
- Dijon mustard - acts as an emulsifier.
- Honey - adds sweetness to the dressing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- First make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients in a small bowl until it comes together. You can also shake in a mason jar.
- Cook the barley according to instructions. Factor in the time as it takes about an hour.
- Roast the sweet potatoes with some olive oil, salt and pepper at 425°F for 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- Toss the kale, sweet potato, barley, pepitas, cranberries and feta cheese with the ginger dressing.
Do I Need to Massage Kale?
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.
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
- Fall Harvest Salad
- Edamame, Chickpea and Apple Salad
- Kale Caesar Salad
- Veggie Grain Bowl
- Roasted Thanksgiving Salad
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
Salad
- 1 cup barley or farro, uncooked
- 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup pepitas, roasted
- 5 cups kale, chopped and stems removed
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Ginger Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp shallot, chopped
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
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.
Kale Sweet Potato 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.
That ginger dressing sounds delicious!