Hearty Kale Salad with Chipotle Pecan Pesto
An incredibly satisfying and nourishing kale salad BURSTING with smoky and savory goodness. Just 10 ingredients required for this comforting and flavorful plant-based dish!
Servings 2 (Entreé servings // or twice as many side servings)
Ingredients
ROASTED ROOT VEGGIES
- 1 ½ cups chopped sweet potato, halved, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 cup chopped carrots, cut into baby-carrot-sized pieces
- 1 cup chopped beets (or sub more sweet potato), halved, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1/2 medium red onion, skin removed, chopped into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
CHICKPEAS
- 1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained and patted dry with a towel
- 1 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
GREENS
- 5 cups loosely packed chopped kale (stalky stems removed // ~1 small bundle)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
FOR SERVING
- 1/4 cup Chipotle Pecan Pesto (or more if serving with grains)
- Grains (such as brown rice, quinoa, or millet // optional)
Instructions
- If serving as an entreé with grains (optional), prepare at this time. Brown rice, quinoa, or millet would all work well.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and position one rack near the top of the oven and another rack in the center of the oven. Also line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the chopped vegetables (sweet potato, carrots, beets, onion) to one of the prepared baking sheets. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
- To the other prepared baking sheet, add your rinsed and dried chickpeas and top with oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Place the root vegetables on the center rack of the oven and the chickpeas on the top rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized and the chickpeas are golden brown. Flip/toss near the 15-minute mark to ensure even cooking.
- Meanwhile, add chopped kale to a large mixing bowl along with the lemon juice, maple syrup, and salt and pepper and massage with clean hands for 1-2 minutes to soften the kale. Set aside.
- If you haven’t already prepared the chipotle pecan pesto, make it at this time.
- Add the warm roasted vegetables to the kale mixture along with 1/4 cup chipotle pecan pesto (adjust amount if altering batch size) and toss to coat. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more dressing for sauciness, salt for overall flavor, or lemon juice for acidity. Serve warm or cold with grains of choice (optional). If not vegan, salad also pairs well with roasted salmon or chicken.
- Best when fresh. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days, preferably with the components stored separately. Not freezer friendly.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Nutrition (1 of 2 servings)
Serving: 1 entrée serving Calories: 661 Carbohydrates: 92.7 g Protein: 15.8 g Fat: 28.1 g Saturated Fat: 3.1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.4 g Monounsaturated Fat: 16.7 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 669 mg Potassium: 1518 mg Fiber: 20.3 g Sugar: 28.4 g Vitamin A: 44000 IU Vitamin C: 67 mg Calcium: 302 mg Iron: 4.2 mg