Description
A vibrant, nutrient-packed fall salad featuring kale, quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, apples, and cranberries tossed in a sweet-spicy mango chutney dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 apple, diced (preferably Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp mango chutney
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Let it cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss diced sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
- Massage chopped kale with 1 tablespoon olive oil until softened and dark green, about 2–3 minutes.
- Dice the apple and roughly chop the pecans or walnuts.
- In a small bowl, whisk together mango chutney, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
- In a large bowl, combine kale, quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, diced apple, cranberries, and nuts.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well coated.
- Serve immediately or let chill for 15–30 minutes for flavors to meld.
Notes
- Swap sweet potatoes for roasted butternut squash or carrots.
- Use baby kale or spinach for a milder taste.
- Add goat cheese or feta for a creamy, tangy variation.
- To make nut-free, use sunflower seeds instead of pecans/walnuts.
- Peach or apricot chutney can substitute for mango chutney.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: No-cook / Roasted
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg