My Sweet Kale Quinoa Salad with Feta strikes a delightful balance of sweet, salty, tangy and crunchy textures. It’s an ideal salad for holidays, brunches, potlucks, or a buffet-style dinner where flavors need to hold up. The combination of tenderized kale, fluffy quinoa, sweet roasted potatoes and salty feta creates a dish that is both nutritious and crowd-pleasing.
This salad is packed with bright, sweet flavors. Key ingredients include curly kale, cooked quinoa, golden raisins, crumbled feta, and roasted sweet potato tossed in a maple vinaigrette. For added protein, consider topping with poached chicken breast or a breaded chicken cutlet. Toasted walnuts or pepitas also make excellent additions for extra crunch and depth.
Building the Salad
Start with the kale. For this recipe I prefer curly kale rather than Lacinato (dino) kale—its texture works especially well here. Remove the leaves from the stems and chop into bite-sized pieces. Rinse thoroughly and dry well; a salad spinner is handy for this. Place the kale in a large bowl and add about two-thirds of the maple vinaigrette, tossing so every leaf is coated. Let the dressed kale sit for about 30 minutes to soften and tenderize. Massaging the leaves can speed this up, but the sweet, sticky dressing also helps mellow the greens without extra effort.
While the kale rests, prepare the quinoa and roast the sweet potato. Cook one cup of quinoa according to package directions—typically about 15–20 minutes—then spread it out to cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) for the sweet potato.
Peel one sweet potato and dice into roughly 1-inch pieces. Toss the cubes with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Arrange the potatoes on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast at 375°F for 15–20 minutes, turning once, until they are fork-tender and lightly browned. Avoid over-roasting; you want some caramelization but still tender centers. Let the roasted sweet potato cool before adding to the salad.
Once the quinoa and sweet potato are cool, assemble the salad. Add the cooked quinoa, roasted sweet potato, golden raisins and crumbled feta to the kale. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper, then toss to combine. Add the remaining dressing to taste, tossing until the salad is evenly coated. Flavors will continue to meld if it sits for a short while, and the textures remain pleasing for serving at a buffet or as a make-ahead side.
This salad is delicious, colorful and nourishing—sweet and savory with satisfying crunch. It works beautifully alongside roasted chicken or grilled pork, and it’s an elegant option for entertaining. It refrigerates well; ours rarely lasts beyond a day, but it can be kept chilled and enjoyed the next day if needed.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rate it to help other readers. We appreciate your feedback and love hearing how you customize it—whether you add chicken, nuts, seeds, or swap in dried cranberries for the golden raisins.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Sweet Kale Quinoa Salad with Feta
Equipment
- Parchment paper
- Rimmed sheet pan
- Small pan with lid for quinoa
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 1 bunch curly kale
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked (follow package directions)
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
- 1 whole sweet potato, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
- 1 recipe Maple Vinaigrette dressing (use about 2/3 to tenderize kale, reserve the rest for finishing)
Instructions
Quinoa
- Cook quinoa according to package directions, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F for the sweet potato.
Kale prep
- Remove kale leaves from the stems and chop into bite-sized pieces. Rinse well and dry.
- Toss the kale with about two-thirds of the maple vinaigrette so every leaf is coated. Let it sit for 30 minutes to tenderize.
Sweet potato
- Peel and cut the sweet potato into roughly 1-inch pieces.
- Toss the potato pieces with 1 tbsp oil, 1/2 tbsp brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Roast at 375°F for 15–20 minutes, until slightly browned and fork-tender. Let cool.
Assembling the salad
- Add the cooked quinoa, roasted sweet potato, golden raisins and crumbled feta to the dressed kale. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss everything together and add the remaining dressing to taste. Serve immediately or chilled.
Notes
Make one batch of the Maple Vinaigrette dressing and use about two-thirds to massage and tenderize the kale, reserving the rest to finish the salad. Variations: add cooked chicken for extra protein, or toss in toasted walnuts or pepitas for crunch.
Nutrition
Serving Size: 1.5 cup
Calories: 283 kcal
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
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