Blue Zone
Kale & Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Sunflower Seed Brittle
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
1 hour
Yield
6 -8 as a side salad
This delicious Sweet Potato Salad is made with kale, feta, and a crunchy Sunflower Seed Brittle that makes it the perfect holiday side.
This Sweet Potato Salad is the perfect side dish for the holiday season. There is something about sweet potatoes that are just so comforting. They seriously go hand-in-hand with Christmas 🎄 and Thanksgiving 🦃 (or whatever holiday you celebrate), and they are so versatile. This Sweet Potato Salad has kale, feta, and a crunchy sunflower seed brittle that gives it the perfect crunch.
❤️ Why You’ll Love Sweet Potato Salad
- Flavorful: The combination of the sweet potatoes with the salty feta, and the crunchy sunflower seed brittle on top is the perfect combo to make a delicious salad loaded with flavor.
- Easy: You don’t want to spend all your time on the side dishes during the holiday season, this Sweet Potato Salad is really easy to whip up as it’ll only take 20-minutes to prep.
- Holiday Friendly: This dish is great for ANYTIME of year but especially during the holiday season. Push aside the typical sweet potato casserole and swap it for this dish.
🍲 Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes – Of course the key ingredient in this salad is the sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are budget-friendly and packed with flavor. They are also so good for you! Sweet potatoes are full of antioxidants that help protect your cells. They are also great for your gut, immune system, and eyes because they’re rich in vitamins and minerals.
Sunflower Seeds – A good salad always needs a good crunch and for this Sweet Potato Salad the crunch comes from a sunflower seed brittle. Sunflower seeds are full of nutrients and antioxidants. They also provide healthy fat, fiber, and protein. They’re great to toss on a salad or eat on their own.
👩🍳 How to Make Sweet Potato Salad
For the sunflower seed bark
- Preheat the oven to 275F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. To a bowl add the sunflower seeds, finely chopped pecans, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix until combined. Spread on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until crispy. Set aside to cool.
For the sweet potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400F. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Spread them out in a single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until soft.
- Towards the end of the baking time, make the brown butter by adding the 1/4 cup salted butter to a small pan or pot over medium-high heat. Swirl or stir constantly until it is a golden / deep brown colour and has a nutty aroma, about 1 1/2 minutes.
- Once the sweet potatoes come out of the oven, drizzle half to all (decide based on the amount of sweet potatoes you have) of the brown butter over them. Set aside.
Assemble the salad
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the mustard, honey balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and pressed garlic until combined.
- Add the chopped kale to a large bowl or platter and drizzle over 1/3 of the dressing and 1/2 tsp salt. Use your hands to massage the dressing and salt into the kale.Next, layer the brown butter sweet potatoes, break up pieces of the seed bark over top of the salad sweet potatoes, add the crumbled feta cheese and pomegranate seeds and then drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Gently toss the salad and serve.
🗒 Tips and Tricks
- If you’re making this recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas, prep ahead of time: make the brittle, dressing and chop the kale earlier in the day.
- If you don’t have sweet potato, you could swap for butternut squash – just watch the roasting time on the cubes of squash.
- You might also enjoy this Winter Chopped Salad if you’re looking for another warming, comfort salad.
- If you don’t love the consistency of kale, the biggest tip is to make sure you massage it with your dressing and salt. This will help it breakdown and get softer which improves the consistency.
🗒 Substitutions
- Kale: If you don’t like or have kale, you can omit it. You just might need less dressing.
- Sweet Potatoes: Swap the sweet potatoes with squash. Just watch the cooking time!
- Honey Balsamic Vinegar: This is niche, so if you can’t find it, use regular balsamic vinegar in its place.
🗒 Best served with
- Holiday Cheeseboards
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The consistency will change over time. Ideally, you store without the dressing.
🤔 Common Questions
Literally so much! Some people even make sweet desserts with sweet potatoes. You can pair this Sweet Potato Salad with chicken, lamb chops, your holiday ham or turkey, the list goes on.
Tuscan kale is a specific kind of kale that can also be known as “dinosaur” kale due to its leaves and appearance. Tuscan kale generally has more of a sweet nuttiness and isn’t as bitter as regular kale. However, you can totally use any kind of kale in this recipe if you can’t find Tuscan.
Kale & Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Sunflower Seed Brittle
Video
Ingredients1x2x3x
For the sunflower seed bark
- ¾ cup sunflower seeds
- ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
For the sweet potatoes
- 2 large sweet potatoes (about 1.5-2lbs), peeled and cubed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ cup salted butter
Dressing
- 1 tbsp grainy mustard
- 2 tbsp honey balsamic vinegar (or sub white or regular balsamic vinegar)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 3 small garlic cloves, pressed
- half of a lemon, juiced
Toppings
- 4 cups packed chopped tuscan kale
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Variation: Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale Salad with Walnut Seed Brittle
For the walnut seed brittle
- ¾ cup sunflower seeds
- ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
For the butternut squash
- 1 small honey nut or butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- ¼ cup salted butter
For the dressing
- 1 tbsp grainy mustard
- 2 tbsp honey balsamic vinegar or sub white or regular balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- 3 small garlic cloves pressed
- half of a lemon juiced
For the salad
- 4 cups packed chopped tuscan kale
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- ⅓ cup chopped medjool dates
- 1 apple, chopped (about 1 cup cubed apple)
Instructions
For the sunflower seed bark
- Preheat the oven to 275F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. To a bowl add the sunflower seeds, finely chopped pecans, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix until combined. Spread on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until crispy. Set aside to cool. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/seads.mp4
For the sweet potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400F. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Spread them out in a single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until soft. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Yam-seasoning.mp4
- Towards the end of the baking time, make the brown butter by adding the 1/4 cup salted butter to a small pan or pot over medium-high heat. Swirl or stir constantly until it is a golden / deep brown colour and has a nutty aroma, about 1 1/2 minutes.
- Once the sweet potatoes come out of the oven, drizzle half to all (decide based on the amount of sweet potatoes you have) of the brown butter over them. Set aside. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/butter-yam.mp4
Assemble the salad
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the mustard, honey balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and pressed garlic until combined. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kaledressing.mp4
- Massage Kale with the salad dressing before assembling. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/massage-kale.mp4
- Add the chopped kale to a large bowl or platter and drizzle over 1/3 of the dressing and 1/2 tsp salt. Use your hands to massage the dressing and salt into the kale. Next, layer the brown butter sweet potatoes, break up pieces of the seed bark over top of the salad sweet potatoes, add the crumbled feta cheese and pomegranate seeds and then drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Gently toss the salad and serve. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/assemble.mp4
Variation: Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale Salad with Walnut Seed Brittle
Make the sunflower seed walnut bark –
- Preheat the oven to 275F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. To a bowl add the sunflower seeds, finely chopped walnuts, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix until combined. Spread on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until crispy. Set aside to cool.
For the squash –
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Peel and cube the squash into ½ inch cubes. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss the squash cubes with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Spread them out in a single layer. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until tender.
- Towards the end of the baking time, make the brown butter by adding the 1/4 cup salted butter to a small pan or pot over medium-high heat. Swirl or stir constantly until it is a golden / deep brown colour and has a nutty aroma, about 1 1/2 minutes.
- Once the squash comes out of the oven, drizzle half to all (decide based on the amount of butternut squash you have) of the brown butter over them. Set aside.
Assemble the salad –
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the mustard, honey balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and pressed garlic until combined.
- Add the chopped kale to a large bowl or platter and drizzle over 1/3 of the dressing and 1/2 tsp salt. Use your hands to massage the dressing and salt into the kale.
- Next, layer the cooked brown butter squash, break up pieces of the seed brittle over top of the squash, add the crumbled bleu cheese, chopped dates and chopped apple and then drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Gently toss the salad and serve.
Notes
- If you’re making this recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas, prep ahead of time: make the brittle, dressing and chop the kale earlier in the day.
- If you don’t have sweet potato, you could swap for butternut squash – just watch the roasting time on the cubes of squash.
- You might also enjoy this Winter Chopped Salad
- The brittle on it’s own would be a delicious addition to a cheeseboard or as a part of a holiday appetizer spread.
Nutrition
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Kale & Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Sunflower Seed Brittle
Ingredients
For the sunflower seed bark
- ¾ cup sunflower seeds
- ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
For the sweet potatoes
- 2 large sweet potatoes (about 1.5-2lbs), peeled and cubed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ cup salted butter
Dressing
- 1 tbsp grainy mustard
- 2 tbsp honey balsamic vinegar (or sub white or regular balsamic vinegar)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 3 small garlic cloves, pressed
- half of a lemon, juiced
Toppings
- 4 cups packed chopped tuscan kale
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Variation: Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale Salad with Walnut Seed Brittle
For the walnut seed brittle
- ¾ cup sunflower seeds
- ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
For the butternut squash
- 1 small honey nut or butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- ¼ cup salted butter
For the dressing
- 1 tbsp grainy mustard
- 2 tbsp honey balsamic vinegar or sub white or regular balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- 3 small garlic cloves pressed
- half of a lemon juiced
For the salad
- 4 cups packed chopped tuscan kale
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- ⅓ cup chopped medjool dates
- 1 apple, chopped (about 1 cup cubed apple)
Instructions
For the sunflower seed bark
- Preheat the oven to 275F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. To a bowl add the sunflower seeds, finely chopped pecans, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix until combined. Spread on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until crispy. Set aside to cool. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/seads.mp4
For the sweet potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400F. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Spread them out in a single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until soft. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Yam-seasoning.mp4
- Towards the end of the baking time, make the brown butter by adding the 1/4 cup salted butter to a small pan or pot over medium-high heat. Swirl or stir constantly until it is a golden / deep brown colour and has a nutty aroma, about 1 1/2 minutes.
- Once the sweet potatoes come out of the oven, drizzle half to all (decide based on the amount of sweet potatoes you have) of the brown butter over them. Set aside. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/butter-yam.mp4
Assemble the salad
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the mustard, honey balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and pressed garlic until combined. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kaledressing.mp4
- Massage Kale with the salad dressing before assembling. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/massage-kale.mp4
- Add the chopped kale to a large bowl or platter and drizzle over 1/3 of the dressing and 1/2 tsp salt. Use your hands to massage the dressing and salt into the kale. Next, layer the brown butter sweet potatoes, break up pieces of the seed bark over top of the salad sweet potatoes, add the crumbled feta cheese and pomegranate seeds and then drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Gently toss the salad and serve. https://www.foodbymaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/assemble.mp4
Variation: Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale Salad with Walnut Seed Brittle
Make the sunflower seed walnut bark -
- Preheat the oven to 275F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. To a bowl add the sunflower seeds, finely chopped walnuts, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix until combined. Spread on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until crispy. Set aside to cool.
For the squash -
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Peel and cube the squash into ½ inch cubes. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss the squash cubes with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Spread them out in a single layer. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until tender.
- Towards the end of the baking time, make the brown butter by adding the 1/4 cup salted butter to a small pan or pot over medium-high heat. Swirl or stir constantly until it is a golden / deep brown colour and has a nutty aroma, about 1 1/2 minutes.
- Once the squash comes out of the oven, drizzle half to all (decide based on the amount of butternut squash you have) of the brown butter over them. Set aside.
Assemble the salad -
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the mustard, honey balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and pressed garlic until combined.
- Add the chopped kale to a large bowl or platter and drizzle over 1/3 of the dressing and 1/2 tsp salt. Use your hands to massage the dressing and salt into the kale.
- Next, layer the cooked brown butter squash, break up pieces of the seed brittle over top of the squash, add the crumbled bleu cheese, chopped dates and chopped apple and then drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Gently toss the salad and serve.
Video
Notes
- If you’re making this recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas, prep ahead of time: make the brittle, dressing and chop the kale earlier in the day.
- If you don’t have sweet potato, you could swap for butternut squash - just watch the roasting time on the cubes of squash.
- You might also enjoy this Winter Chopped Salad
- The brittle on it’s own would be a delicious addition to a cheeseboard or as a part of a holiday appetizer spread.
Nutrition
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