Don’t you hate it when your brilliant ideas don’t pan out? I’ve spent the week in the kitchen and I don’t have much to show for it. It’s maddening, I tell you. But, if anyone is going to end up with lackluster homemade meals, let it be me. I don’t want any precious avocados or maple syrup going to waste in your kitchens on my behalf.
Ali and I were both in sour moods on Tuesday after spending the afternoon sharing pans and sighing at our resulting recipes. We were so frustrated that we almost decided to stay in and watch more of The Blacklist on Netflix, but! We reminded each other that our evenings in Austin are dwindling. I traded my yoga pants and sandals for skinny jeans and booties and we headed out.
Dinner was pretty good. I just ordered a salad. Our waiter surprised me with a free dessert (griddled cornbread and bourbon ice cream!) and the night got better from there.
We found great live music. I ordered more bourbon. A stranger pulled me onto an empty dance floor and I, for the first time in my life, actually danced like no one was watching in a room full of people. Correction: I wiggled in front of a room full of people. I’m a terrible dancer but an excellent free-form wiggler.
Then we went downstairs to The Continental Club and watched an enchanting woman with wild gray hair belt out a few songs. Luke Wilson was there. We ran into our bartender friend, Floyd, and made a new friend, too. One of them brought me more bourbon. The place filled up with members of the country music industry for an awards show after-party and I witnessed a jaw-dropping number of fringed button-ups on men with very serious handlebar mustaches. Best people watching ever. Correction: Best Tuesday Night Ever.
I digress. After the disappointing recipes, I decided to combine a few of my all-time favorite ingredients in a bowl and call it good. (It’s great, actually!) Here we have massaged kale, quinoa, spicy sweet potatoes and black beans served with a dollop of creamy avocado sauce, feta and pepitas for good measure. I’d cook with only these ingredients if it weren’t for diversity’s sake. It’s a hearty, healthy, texture-rich salad that packs great for lunch!
Wusthof 7-Inch Santoku Knife
Lodge 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
Cuisinart 7-Cup Food Processor
▸ For more of my favorite cooking tools, shop my healthy kitchen!
Southwestern Kale Power Salad with Sweet Potato, Quinoa & Avocado Sauce
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 large salads 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Mexican
Healthy kale and quinoa power salad with spicy sweet potato, black beans and creamy avocado sauce. This gluten-free (and easily vegan) salad packs well for lunch, too!
Ingredients
Quinoa and kale
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped into very small, bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium lime, juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt
Sweet potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), sliced into small, ¼-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Avocado sauce
- 2 avocados, sliced into long strips
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium jalapeño, deseeded, membranes removed and roughly chopped
- 1 handful cilantro leaves
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander, optional
- Salt, to taste
Everything else
- 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta, omit for vegan/dairy-free salad
- ¼ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for a minute or two. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess water and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
- To cook the sweet potatoes: In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped sweet potatoes and toss to coat, then add the cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Stir to combine. Once the pan is sizzling, add a scant ¼ cup water, then cover the pan and reduce heat to low to avoid burning the contents. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Uncover the pan, raise the heat back to medium and cook until the excess moisture has evaporated and the sweet potatoes are caramelizing on the edges, about 3 to 7 minutes (add another little splash of olive oil if the potatoes start sticking to the pan). Set aside to cool.
- To prepare the kale: Transfer the kale to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the chopped kale with salt and use your hands to “massage” it, which improves the flavor. Just grab handfuls of kale in your hands and scrunch it up in your palms. Repeat until the kale is darker green in color and more fragrant. Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of 1 lime and ½ teaspoon salt. Drizzle over the kale and toss to coat.
- To make the avocado sauce: Simply combine the ingredients as listed in a food processor or blender. Blend well and season with salt, to taste.
- To toast the pepitas: In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the pepitas, stirring frequently, until they are turning lightly golden on the edges and starting to make little popping noises, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Once the quinoa has cooled down a bit, pour it into the bowl of kale and toss to combine. Divide the kale and quinoa mixture into four large salad bowls. Top with sweet potatoes, black beans, a big dollop of avocado sauce, and a sprinkle of feta and pepitas.
Notes
Storage suggestions: This salad keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for a few days. To keep the avocado sauce fresh, store it separately in a small bowl, with plastic wrap pressed against the top surface to prevent oxidation.
Change it up: Butternut squash or carrots would be good substitutions for the sweet potatoes.
▸ Nutrition Information
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Rosie
This is one of my favorite vegetarian recipes, I’ve been making it for a year now!
Kate
Hooray, thanks Rosie!
Deborah
My daughter has a knack for finding amazing recipes and she follows them exactly. M The only variation was skipping the feta and substituting Anaheim pepper for jalapeño. It was SO fantastic! My son who we are trying to edge towards healthier foods went back for seconds and I caught him eating leftovers the next morning, by noon the next day it was gone so we did a repeat that very next night – we’ve never done that before. Thanks for sharing your creativity Kate. Wow, we loved it.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you found this one! I appreciate you taking the time to review, Deborah.
Nicole
This recipe was so good. I added grilled onions. My husband loved it.
Kate
Thank you, Nicole! Glad to hear it.
Shana
I just moved to San Jose with my husband and was so excited to be able to make a dinner that both he and I would enjoy (being a vegetarian while he is a meat eater means that we often have two separate dishes). I mention moving because I don’t have a job yet which allows me to get excited about having a little more time to be domestic!
Everything was delish, especially the sweet potato component. Thank you for breaking down the sauteeing and simmering time for the potatoes. I actually used the light colored sweet potatoes, but it looks like you might have used yams. Either one would taste great. Thanks for the massage trick as well. The pepitas gave it that needed crunch. I will make this again!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Shana! I’m so glad this did the trick for both of you. San Jose sounds lovely, hope you’re enjoying it!
Lisa
This will be dinner tonight for sure! I love massaged kale and the rest of the salad just sounds too delish! BTW, you are a hoot! I finally know how to describe my terrible dancing. I am excellent free-form wiggler! You are the best! Thanks for the inspired recipe.
★★★★★
Jen S
Made this for myself to have for the week. Except my husband and boys (ages 10 & 8) who are the steak and cheese and meatball sub lovers – all ate it up! Now they do like their share of veggies but this was a first – stealing my salad?! So much flavor and texture and yumminess. We ALL loved it – thank you for a great recipe idea!
Jen S
*forgot the 5 star review (see above)…I hope I hid the small bowl of leftovers well enough so only I can find them…
Nancy
Wow!! this was so delicious and easy to make! And so filling, can’t wait to have the leftovers tomorrow…thanks
★★★★★
Lauren
I made this for dinner tonight. It took me a bit longer than 40 minutes but it was SO worth it!!! It was super delicious and filling. One of the best veggie dishes I’ve made. Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Madeline
Hi Kate, I made this last night and it was so delicious! I’ve had to cut out dairy and soy because I’m nursing my baby and he has allergies and your website has really saved my life! Thank you for sharing all of your great recipes.
Sam T
I added 1/2 tsp chili powder to the sweet potatoes but otherwise cooked as directed and they were SO good that I literally dreamed about them last night after we had this salad for dinner!! Lol. Definitely using this technique to cook sweet potatoes from now on and putting them on top of everything…
Both dressings were a little too limey for my taste–maybe my limes were just big? Will cut back a bit on the lime juice next time.
★★★★
Chloe
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome! Happy you enjoyed it, Chloe.
JA
My husband and I did turn vegetarian. We loved this dish! (We love dogs too! )
Kate
Yes to all of this!!
Leah
Love this recipe!! have made it twice now! So yummy and satisfying (and easy to make!)
★★★★★
Cheri Burau
I love this salad. It is incredibly hearty, with a wonderful mix of flavors and textures. The only drawback is that it takes me about an hour to prep. There are so many steps! I would love a more streamlined set of directions.
★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you enjoy the salad, Cheri! I’m not sure how to further streamline the instructions, other than to call for cooked quinoa and send you searching for instructions on how to cook it (I don’t like to do that).
Lisa
This was delicious
Brooke
This was so delicious and left me feeling the perfect amount of full! The avocado sauce is so delicious and because of the lime it kept well for leftovers the next day.
Yet another winner from your site! Thanks!
★★★★★
Liz
Hi Kate! I love your recipes! I am making this tonight for friends who are vegan. Although I probably won’t hear back til after the fact, when you say it makes enough for 4 is this as the main dish? We’re big eaters so I may just double it and have enough for leftovers. Would roasting the sweet potatoes taste the same?
Kate
Hi, Liz! I think four is a good amount, but if it’s a party entree, I’d double it just in case. People tend to eat more in groups! And yes, I think roasting the sweet potatoes would be a fine swap. :)
N
Wonderful and very satisfying!
Kate
Perfect!
Julie808
Another wonderful recipe… Tried this one tonight and loved it. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Great! Thanks, Julie!
Jessie
Delicious! I’ve made many of your recipes but this was the best one yet. I also added tomatoes to the kale which added some color.
★★★★★
Kate
Tomatoes sound perfect for a little bit of juicy sweetness, Jessie. Thanks!
Caro Baker
Hi Kate! Love your salads!!!
Made this one at home & about to do it at work. I sauteed some onion & garlic & wok tossed the black beans with chopped chipotle chiles. Amazing!
Caro
★★★★
Kate
That sounds absolutely delicious, Caro!
Eve
Made this last night and we LOVED it, even though I was out of black beans. Can’t wait to make it again with the beans! Definitely going into the rotation, that avocado sauce is dynamite!
★★★★★
Kate
I love that avocado sauce, too! Thanks again, Eve.
Amie
This is so delicious!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Amie!
Lizzy
This is one of my go to recipes! I love the textures mixing together. My husband won’t usually eat sweet potatoes either, but he will eat them cooked the way this recipe calls for. So I always cube and simmer my SPs now! Thank you Kate!!
Kate
Great! I’m so glad you found a technique that works for him. Life is just better with sweet potatoes in it. :)
kjsharks
I just love this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome!
Kristen
I made this recipe this weekend, and wow, it was super involved! It took way longer than 40 minutes to prep /make everything. Maybe it’s just me who is super slow at cutting up sweet potatoes? I also roasted them, which took about 15 minutes. Also clean up took like 30 minutes since I had dirtied almost all my bowls / salad spinner / food processor.
However, the salad was delicious! Will I make it every week? No. Will I make it again when I want avocado sauce and a southwestern quinoa salad? Yes!! The avocado sauce was delicious and definitely my favorite part of the meal. I think next time I would spice the black beans a bit instead of just adding them plain. Maybe if I ever have leftover roasted chickpeas, I could add those in addition (or instead of pepitas or sweet potatoes) to the salad, since I often flavor those with a southwestern spice. The trick of massaging the kale also worked super well and was a great great great tip for kale salds, which have never been my favorite.
Thank you for this recipe!
★★★★
Kate
Yes, this one can be a bit labor-intensive. I’m glad it was worth the work, though!
Krista
loved loved the kale sweet potato recipe. Was asked to share it 7 times. trying the thai cabbage rolls today. thank you
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks so much, Krista! Let me know how those rolls work out.
Cheryl Grigsby
This looks amazing. I practice EODD (Every Other Day Diet) and collect 400-500 calorie recipes. Do you have a calorie count for one serving of this salad? Or maybe a suggestion for a website (I can enter the ingredients and calculate myself)?
Kate
Hi, Cheryl! Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. In the meantime, here’s a nutrition calculator that might come in handy.
Lauren
The nutrition information that you posted that shows over 800 calories, is that for the entire salad or just 1 serving? Thank you!
Kate
Hi Lauren, it is an estimate for amount per serving as noted. Again, this is just an estimate. Please see my nutritional disclaimer here: Nutrition Disclaimer. Hope this helps. Thanks!
Gill
Hi there – thanks for your recipes. This was my first venture into quinoa and your cooking tips were invaluable. One problem – there was way too much lime juice for the quantities. I guess it somewhat depends on how large your limes are and perhaps it will teach me to taste more as I go. I liked that method of cooking sweet potato – could have taken a lot more spice for my taste. With some yogurt added to the avocado sauce I think that could be quite nice. All in all, a colourful dish and one I might repeat bits of, with tweaks. Again, my thanks, gill
Kate
Feel free to adjust the lime and spice quantities to your tastes, Gill!
Katharine Suri
My family loved this salad, it looked nothing like the pictures because I mixed everything together!! One big green mess!! It was yummy. I did roast the kale with olive oil and then put it into the salad. I would make it again. Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Katharine!
Eva stour
Made this recipe and will make again but I’ll substitute the kale with something else. I love the guacamole sauce I put that on my veggie burger and yumm so good!!!
Kate
Yes, please feel free to swap things out to your preferences. I love that sauce, too! Delicious.
Nancy
SO delicious! Kind of a salad/grain bowl hybrid. Don’t skip the smoked paprika; it takes it to a wonderful level.
★★★★★
Megan
This recipe is seriously AMAZING. I’m a huge fan of kale salad, and this is probably the best I’ve had. The combination of the flavors is perfect. It’s also a beautiful salad for fall. This will definitely become a staple for me! Thanks for sharing all of your recipes, Kate!
Yvette Mendez
OMG, this looks simple and amazing. I think this is what I’m making for dinner tomorrow. Can’t wait to try it.
Kate
Let me know what you think once you try it, Yvette!
Yvette Mendez
I tried that Southwestern Kale power salad with Quinoa and sweet potatoes with black beans and guacamole sauce. OMG!!! Pure heaven. My stepmom loved it too. After much research I found the recipes on your site will keep me on track and loving this new plant based diet. Such a life changing experience after being a die hard carnivore all my life. Belonging to a Texas hunter/gatherer first nations tribe I thought it would be impossible. Most vegetarian foods I had tried were bland and tasteless. Everything I have tried so far is amazing and this last one was the best so far. I’m on a roll here. Thanks Kate, your recipes are a taste of heaven,
big hugs for Cookie.
Kate
Fantastic! Thanks so much, Yvette. Happy to win over the family :)
Meredith
I made this for lunch today and it was amazing. This will definitely become a regular. I wouldn’t have thought to combine avocado the sweet potato and butternut squash (I used both), but the result was a delicious blend of flavors and textures. Love it! Thanks for the great recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds like a great lunch! I think I need to bring this into my rotation for lunch. You are welcome, Meredith! Thank you for stopping to leave a comment and review.
Meghan Hardman
This bowl was easy to make, delicious, and filling! It was awesome for packing for lunch! When I went to the grocery store the avocados were rock hard, so i substituted greek yogurt for avocado and it worked well! I later made the avocado sauce with avocados and it was delicious!!
★★★★★
Kate
Yay, Meghan! I’m so glad you loved it. And thank you for the comment and review!
Cat
This salad is amaaaaazing!!! I’ve made it several times and it is absolutely perfect for a nutrition-packed, super filling, and super flavorful lunch/dinner. Honestly I make a big batch and have it for both lunch and dinner, and I still haven’t gotten tired of it. The sweet potatoes turn out really nicely and add a perfectly sweet taste to this savory salad! Chopping the sweet potatoes and fresh kale takes a little while if you’re just an amateur-ish chopper like I am, but it’s so worth it!
★★★★★
Nat
One of my favourite salad recipes! Absolutely delicious, and so pretty with the bright dressing, too! This got my friend and I through many a long day spent on our dissertations. Thanks Kate :)
P.S. have you tried it with chickpeas? I wasn’t sure how the dressing would go, but I know they go well with kale and sweet potato!
★★★★★
Kate
I haven’t tried it with chickpeas but let me know what you think! Thanks Nat for your feedback and review.
Liz
Amazing flavor!!! I tossed everything together except for the Avocado Sauce rather than putting ingredients on each plate. It makes a ton and is definitely a create entree salad.
★★★★★
Kate
That works too, Liz! Thank you for your review.
Caroline Dailey
OMG. This recipe is AMAZING. THANK YOU for this!!!!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed them so much.
Leiellen
I loved the quinoa fresh fragrance when I added sage and fresh basil chopped from my garden during the simmering period. I sautéed the Kale with a touch of garlic and sesame oil to combine for a hot side dish with Salmon.*****
★★★★
Kate
Fresh herbs, the best! Thanks for sharing, Leiellen. I appreciate the review!
Emmalita
This recipe is so good. It’s a weekly staple. I roast my sweet potatoes at 400 for about 20-40min (depending how small I dice them). Thanks for this mouth watering genius!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! Thank you for your review.
Jaylee M
This is hands down one of the best salads I’ve ever eaten. I meal prep every Sunday. I waited to add the avocado mixture until the morning of. This salad was fantastic every day. I even had a couple guys at work taste it. They were blown away. Delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
I love that you meal prep every Sunday. Go you! Thanks for sharing. Jaylee.
Jean
I have not yet prepared this but it looks like it will be about 780 calories per serving if it makes 4 servings as the recipe states. That’s more than have of my daily calories. Is that accurate?
Kate
Hi Jean, Please reference my nutrition disclaimer page to help answer your questions. https://cookieandkate.com/nutrition-disclaimer/
Patty
I tried this salad last night and loved it. It took awhile to put everything together but it was well worth it.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Patty!
teri
Beautiful. Tasty. Feel-good recipe. I’ve been making this for several years and still my favorite for quick and healthy meal.
Kate
Great to hear, teri! Thanks so much for your comment. If you would want to leave a star review, I would appreciate it.
Dani
We made this last night for dinner. IT WAS AMAZING! I am absolutely in love with your recipes! This is the second recipe I have tried.
Kate
You’re so sweet, Dani! Thanks for commenting.
sera
This story is amazing. I love it. And the ingredients in this recipe are my favorite superfoods. I’m making this stat. Maybe it will turn my bad week around too.
Kate
Thanks so much, Sera!
Kris Surdu
This is my favorite salad recipe of all time. When I make it, I have to make a triple batch because so many of my friends love it too. Pretty sure the avocado dressing would make anything taste great!
★★★★★
Kate
Triple batch?! That’s great Kris. Thank you for your review!
Katie
Has this recipe changed? I could swear the avocado sauce used to include natural yoghurt, or maybe I’m just going loopy…
Kate
I haven’t touched this recipe in awhile! I’m not sure. Yogurt would be interesting. :)
BobW
Terrific recipe and a great way to cook sweet potatoes, either in a salad or a grain bowl. Subbed sauteed tofu for the beans and left off the avocado sauce – still delicious and nutritious. THANKS.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Bob!
Shemeka
I made the recipe and I’m loving it! This truly is a power salad. I added raisins to sweeten it up a bit more ( I have a sweet tooth).
Linda Baku
This looks amazing. I am thinking about using in a wrap for am easy to pack lunch.
Kate
It makes a great lunch for the week! Let me know what you think, Linda.
Jenny Copley
Hi Kate
I made your southwestern Kale power salad today and I just wanted to let you know that it was amazing. We loved the avocado dip and also the toasted pumpkin seeds (didn’t know they did that when heated and they tasted yummy). I have been finding family dinners a bit challenging since my daughter,already a vegetarian has been diagnosed with gluten intolerance. I found your website when googling vegetarian gluten free food and I will be making lots of your other recipes too. I real hit with all four members of the fa mi!y, so tasty and probably the nicest vegetarian meal I have ever had
Many thank s
Jenny
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so glad you liked it, Jenny! I’m sorry to hear about your daughter. I have a lot of gluten free friendly recipes or have gluten free alternatives. Good luck!
Kristin
My husband and I ate this for dinner tonight, and I really enjoyed it! I eat cooked kale for lunch almost every day, but I don’t really care for raw kale. I’ve never “massaged” kale before, and I was really tempted to just cook it a little to wilt it down, but I decided to try this massage method. I cut the kale in smallish pieces, and it worked really well! I loved all the textures and flavors together, and it’s so healthy. Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Kristin! Thanks for sharing.
Malia
Yummy! I finally discovered that Alsace, France has kale so now I can do so many kale recipes. :) It’s still sweet potato season but Spring is coming so I’m in the salad mood. It was really lovely. Thank you. I used red beans (b/c they are hard to find here) and I really think black beans would be better because they are smaller (as your recipe calls for). I didn’t add the jalepeno but I will next time.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Malia!
Fiamma Jean-Baptiste
LOVED this recipe! I’ve made it twice now. The first time I made it as instructed; the second time, I sauteed the kale instead of leaving it raw. So much flavor and great texture combinations! I’m not the biggest fan of cold food so I usually steer clear of most salads. Sauteing the kale allowed me to justify warming up the leftovers and was a definite win. Whether the kale is raw or sauteed, this dish is definitely a staple for my lunch meal prep.
★★★★★
Kate
Nice touch, Fiamma! Thank you for your review.
Jai
This was so delicious! I wish I had found it years ago when it was first posted!
★★★★★
Stacey
I made this with carrots, rather than sweet potato and added a boiled egg for my partner. Was really delicious!! 10/10!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for letting me know you loved it, Stacey!
Sydney Schwartz
Can I use lemons instead of limes. they are pretty hard to come by where I live…
Kate
It will change the taste slightly, but will give the citrus taste.
Jennifer K Alexander
We loved it! We’re making it again for the second time in a few weeks. The sweet potatoes would work this way on other salads. Very satisfying.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Jennifer! Thanks for your review.
Shy
Just made this for the first time tonight and it was OH SO GOOD!! I tweaked it a bit by adding red beans and substituting the pepitas for raw sunflower seeds. And omitted the feta. So delish!
I’ve been meatless for 5 years now and have used Cooke + Kate as my guide along the way. I officially went vegan a few months ago and have ventured into the world of vegan food blogs, but find myself continuously coming back to this one. Thank you for making many of your recipes customizable for a vegan diet. Please keep churning them out!
Kate
I’m so glad you loved it, Shy! I’m glad you have been enjoying the blog for so long!
GardenBar
The South western kale power salad recipe is amazing. Its very delicious.
★★★★★
Maranda
I made this tonight, avocado sauce was definitely a miss. Too much lime juice, 1 line would do. Will modify next time. And is way more than 4 servings. Will work on it, much potential and my first quinoa recipe.
★★★★
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it, Maranda. But, I do appreciate your feedback!
C L Allen
This was divine. My husband is not a huge kale fan and does not like sweet salads, but this one was a winner! Great combo of flavors and textures. Hubby told me to “add this one to the list.” (keeper).
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, CL!
Clarissa
It is super delicious. I love the variety of texture and flavour in the dish.
★★★★★
Jeff
This is absolutely incredible, so many delicious flavors and textures plus a star-studded lineup of healthy ingredients. I ommitted the feta and was glad I did, I think it would have taken away from the other flavors. I found that the yams needed quite a bit longer to cook than what the directions said – no big deal, just kept them on medium for another 5-10 minutes. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m sorry the timing was off. It can very some based on your oven and the size you cut them. I appreciate your review, Jeff.
Online Sunshine
I am sooooo glad I found your site! My husband and I are getting older and health is becoming more important to us. We don’t have any major health issues (yet), but we’d like to keep it that way! I had read about the Mediterranean/DASH/MIND diets (way of eating) and was looking for a cookbook that would make it easier for me to plan meals that were healthier than our normal fare. But the cookbooks I found had ingredients that people complained were expensive and hard to find…or people were adding in ingredients that didn’t really follow the healthful eating I was looking for. I finally resigned to looking online. I was just looking on how to prepare quinoa (my past attempts didn’t go so well) when I found your site and your recipes look sooooo delicious! I already have dinner planned for tonight, but this is going to get made tomorrow and I’ll come back and let you know how it went. After I try a few recipes, if I like the results, I plan on buying your recipe book. :) But dang…..just looking at the sample pages on Amazon is making my mouth water!!! So glad I found you!!!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so glad you found it too! Thanks for sharing.
Online Sunshine
So, I made this tonight for my husband and I. I should have omitted the lime juice because we’re just not big fans of lime/lemon in our food, but I also like to try a recipe as written. Also, both of us thought that the avocado would have been put to better use as just cubed avocado. We are trying to eat healthier and aren’t quite on board with kale and quinoa yet, but we’re trying. I do think this is a good recipe…we are just not to this level of healthy eating yet. Lol
★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your feedback!
Abby
So absolutely delicious! I plan to remake this at least every other week!
★★★★★
Nicole
This is hands down my favorite recipe. I just love everything about it — the blend of flavors and textures and it’s super healthy to boot! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Nicole!
Lance
I’m super excited to try this — everyone’s comments are just so encouraging — and I promise to review! One question, first: do you use fine or kosher salt for this recipe?
I tend to use kosher, Diamond Crystal specifically, and understand that salt varieties and even brands can vary in grain size (and thus, volume). Just wanting to check before I dive in.
Thank you!
Brooke
This was excellent! The directions were easy to follow and the dish was delicious. I doubled the recipe for my family to take servings for lunchboxes all week. I let some of my high school students sample the dish (they loved it) and they were excited to try the recipe at home. They are asking for recommendations on how to eat healthier :)
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you liked the recipe and it as easy to follow!
Billy
Greetings from Australia! My family and I have enjoyed and felt nourished by your recipes. Also appreciate you helping us out with cooking ideas! We like to say, this one’s a “Kate” recipe.
Susan Gallagher
To cut down on the high sodium content I omitted the 1.5 teaspoon of salt called for in the sweet potatoes, and cut salt to 1/4 teaspoon in the dressing. Did not miss the salt and it was a healthier dish. Added one minced clove to the dressing. Mixed the black beans into the kale/quinoa/dressing mixture. Nice topped with chopped tomato, and goat cheese was a good alternative to feta. Very nice recipe, will make it again!
★★★★
Hayley
Hey Kate, just wondering would you serve this warm or cold?
Kate
Hi Hayley! I liked it served warm when fresh, but also enjoyed the leftovers cool. I wouldn’t recommend reheating the kale or avocado components. Otherwise, it’s up to you. :)
Hayley
Thanks Kate. This is one of those early spring meals I’m excited to make!
Hayley B
5/5! We never eat salads for dinner but I’ve been on a kale kick lately. I kept leaning over to my boyfriend and saying, “THIS IS SO GOOD” while we were eating. We had queso fresco on hand but I know it’ll be even better with feta next time!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Hayley! I’m happy to hear that.
Kal
Absolutely amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Kal!
Olivia
I can’t believe that I’ve never commented on this recipe. This is one of my favorite recipes! I would choose this over almost anything else. For meals on special occasions, I choose this. It makes me so happy :)
This recipe takes a lot longer to make than what it says, but I also am really slow. I don’t mind. Spending time in the kitchen makes me feel calmer and happier.
I do change one thing in the recipe. Instead of making the sweet potatoes on the stove, I roast them in the oven. I add the oil and spice, just cook them differently. I find that when I cook them on the stove, they never cook fully. Biting into a crunchy sweet potato isn’t very pleasant.
I also love that I have leftovers for the next couple of days! This recipe makes A LOT of salad!
Thank you for the yummiest bowl of all time! This will always be a staple.
★★★★★
gail ford
I think the nutrition information may be in error?This probably isn’t actually 800+ calories nor 81% of daily value sodium per serving. Please give us corrected information? thanks so much
gail
Kate
Hi Gail! Thank you for your feedback. More on my nutritional information, if you are interested. I have been investigating as some potential errors have been brought to my attention. Unfortunately, even with trusty sources, the estimates could be off.
Joy
This bothered me too. 800+ calories, 50% of daily fat, and 81% of sodium is astronomical for a salad dish! I would think that would be important for you to figure out and share with your readers.
Gail
We loved this salad bowl! It tasted delicious the following night; the avocado sauce did not change color. There is a lot going on with color, texture, taste and healthy ingredients. Right here is why I subscribed to CandK. I hope to try many more great recipes like this one. Thanks!
★★★★★
Susan Williams
Made this tonight and it was wonderful. I do think 2 limes in the avocado sauce is too much but that was me.
★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your feedback, Susan. You can adjust to taste here if you like.
Mais
Delicious salad! I am obsessed with it and can eat it for lunch 4 days in a row easily.
★★★★★
Valerie
This was the first thing I ever made of yours, and it made me an instantly devoted follower. Several years and many many recipes later, this is still one of my favorite dishes from your blog. And one of my top 2 favorite salads ever. It’s just perfect. Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Mel
That was friggin’ delicious!
Even my meat, cheese, and potato lovin’ man enjoyed it!
#winning
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Mel! Thank you for your review.
R.Simpson
Can’t wait to try one of your recipes. They all sound wonderful! My first try will be the Southwestern Kale Power Salad. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
! Thanks Cookie and Kate!
Kate
I hope you love it!
Jo Rosentreter
Love this combo Kate!
Buttt… should have known better when prepping the avo sauce (am such a novice in the kitchen!) And I’ve learned the golden rule… taste taste and taste again!
Threw the juice of 2 limes to the avo and coriander in the blender. Oh no! way too much citrus zing! Only really needed 1 lime …or less.
Lesson learned.
Thank you for a long list of 5 star yumminess Kate but for this one am giving it a four. Not due to my mistake but because my hubbie wasn’t too fussed on this one overall. I substituted carrots for sweet potato which he didn’t like.
Also maybe state average size of the lime or say 2 tablespoons lime juice? They come in different sizes here…. from ping pong ball to the size of a lemon. My 2 limes were the size of lemons. But at the end of the day I’ll remember now “taste as you” go!
Thanks Kate, as always.
★★★★
Brooke
I’m not even a vegetarian, but my husband and I loved it. The avocado dip was awesome and the perfect touch. Your dog is adorable!
★★★★★
Kate
Well, thank you! I’m a fan myself. I’m happy you both loved this one, Brooke!
Shawn Magaw
This was a great recipe! My only added some cukes and tomatoes to it.
★★★★★
Stacy
Hi! This looks delicious! Are the nutrition facts for 4 servings or for 1 serving?
Kate
Hi! Nutrition information is per serving.
Liza
I have made this a gazillion times in the past year and absolutely love ALL of the flavors. Kate you are the master of spicing recipes just perfectly! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
★★★★★
Jamie
Make these for lunch and add a an egg cooked medium – it’s amazing! Does take me a little more than 40 minutes but I can get the majority of ingredients at Aldi and I get it doesn’t even cost $2 per lunch.
★★★★★
Robin
Made this last night for 2 and really enjoyed it. Omitted feta (avoiding dairy) and used chickpeas (cooked w/ onion, garlic + cumin) instead of black beans. I usually roast sweet potatoes and was surprised at how much I enjoyed them using your method here…though next time I’d cut the salt in half. (who needs 1853mg of salt, anyway??)
The prep/cooking times as listed were a bit optimistic IMO but with my boyfriend’s help making the sauce, it was manageable! Thanks for this and many great recipes!
★★★★
Sabine
Thank you for this delicious recipe, Cookie and Kate! I made this for my host family, and it was an immediate success, even though they hadn’t tasted many of the ingredients before! I will definitely be making this again and looking into more of your recipes.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Sabine!