Autumn Kale Salad – Chopped kale with roasted sweet potato, pearl couscous, pecans, dried cranberries, and sliced onion, all tossed together with a maple citrus vinaigrette.
Autumn may be past us now, but that’s not stopping me from enjoying all those flavors! I love sweet potatoes, cranberries, and pecans in a salad (as is evident by previous salads that I’ve shared) and I’ve got another recipe today using those same ingredients. This one is another salad, but it’s got the addition of pearl couscous and kale lettuce, which make it a fun new take on the classic fall flavors.
Say hello to my Autumn Kale Salad. One of the most incredible elements of this salad is the maple citrus vinaigrette. I was blown away by the balance of flavors in the dressing – sweet, sour, salty, tangy. They’re all in there!
Enjoy this yummy Autumn Kale Salad!
Tips & Tricks
- Massage the kale. Kale is a pretty thick green that can be tough to eat when raw. However, massaging it can make it more tender and pleasant to eat. So don’t skip this step!
- Red onion. The spice from the raw red onion is absolutely necessary in this otherwise sweet salad. But you don’t want to cut slices of onion that are too thick. Therefore, make sure you slice it thin.
- Pearl couscous. This couscous is a bigger than the traditional couscous and has a texture similar to pasta. I cooked mine in chicken broth for a little extra flavor.
- Fresh orange juice. The vinaigrette calls for 3 tablespoons of orange juice. Since it’s a raw sauce, it’s so important for all the ingredients to be high-quality. That means squeezing that juice right from an orange. It makes such a difference!
Autumn Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato peeled and diced
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups chopped kale leaves
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup pecan halves
- ½ cup sweet dried cranberries
- 1 cup cooked pearl couscous
For the maple citrus vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 tables freshly-squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss diced sweet potatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Bake in preheat oven for 10 minutes. Remove and toss around and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until most of the moisture is gone from the sweet potato. Remove from oven and let cool completely before adding to salad. Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees.
- Place pecans on a baking sheet in an even layer. Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 6 minutes or until the nuts are toasted, but not too browned. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- Mix the vinaigrette dressing ingredients together in a jar. Place kale in a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon of the dressing. Massage the kale with your hands for about 2 minutes. Add sliced red onion, cooled roasted sweet potatoes, cooled pecans, cranberries, and cook pearl couscous. Add 2 tablespoons of dressing and toss together. Taste and add more dressing, if needed. I also like to sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper in the salad for a flavor enhancer.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Notes
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More recipes you’ll love:
Quinoa Harvest Salad
Apple Pecan Farro Salad
Orchard Harvest Salad
Say hello to my Autumn Kale Salad. One of the most incredible elements of this salad is the maple citrus vinaigrette. I was blown away by the balance of flavors in the dressing – sweet, sour, salty, tangy. They’re all in there!
I like salads, it’s not greasy and it’s healthy. Thanks for your sharing
For the cooler months of autumn, this salad is perfect! I cooked it up for lunch today, and it was a delicious, flavorful, and hearty meal.
Your Autumn Kale Salad is a delightful blend of seasonal flavors and textures! The combination of clipping path image editing service crisp kale, sweet apples, crunchy pecans, and tangy cranberries creates a symphony of taste in every bite. The maple balsamic vinaigrette ties everything together perfectly, adding a subtle sweetness that enhances the dish. Not only is this salad delicious, but it’s also packed with nutrients, making it a wholesome choice for any autumn meal. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
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This fall kale salad is perfect for the season and full of so much delicious flavor! Shredded kale, honeycrisp apple, fresh figs, pancetta,…
This salad is so good! We really enjoyed the maple citrus vinaigrette, it has the perfect balance of flavors. This recipe is going on our Christmas dinner menu! 5 stars!
This would be such a great healthy option to add to that holiday dinner menu! I love all of the flavors in this salad. 🙂
This recipe came at the perfect time because it’s hard for me to crave salads in the colder months. This is a great recipe for this time of year!
This is the perfect fall salad!! Made it for lunch today and it was hearty, flavorful and so satisfying!