Roasted Root Vegetable Kale Salad with Creamy Turmeric Dressing (Paleo, Vegan)

A hearty roasted root vegetable kale salad with a creamy turmeric dressing.

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean salads need to disappear from the menu altogether, all that’s needed are a few adjustments to make them more suited to the season.  That means swapping out delicate lettuces and raw vegetables and instead turning to hearty greens and winter’s most dependable staple: root vegetables.

Not only are roots like carrots, beets and sweet potatoes plentiful this time of year, but they roast up beautifully and pair well with cool weather greens like kale.

This warm winter root vegetable kale salad is built on a base of shredded kale and roasted roots.  It’s a substantial salad rich with a variety of flavors and textures.  All you need is a sheet pan to roast the roots on while you whisk together a simple dressing and prepare the kale with a quick massage, (long-leafed lacinato (aka Tuscan) kale works best here).

The heat of the oven brings out the inherent sweetness of the roots and gives them a lovely almost caramelized flavor that contrasts nicely with the slight bitterness of the kale leaves and the creaminess of the dressing.

Speaking of dressing, this one is spiked with turmeric and black pepper, there’s cashew butter for richness and apple cider vinegar for a bit of acidity.

Once out of the oven the vegetables are tossed, still warm, with the dressing to soak up all the goodness then piled on top the bed of kale.  A handful of toasted and chopped pistachios bring a little toasty nutty finish to the dish and a bit of crunch.

If you’re looking for a warm, hearty and healthy kale salad this winter, this is one you’ll want to add to the rotation.

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Yield: 4 Servings

Roasted Root Vegetable Kale Salad with Creamy Turmeric Dressing (Paleo, Vegan)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

A hearty roasted root vegetable kale salad with a creamy turmeric dressing.

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Ingredients

For the roasted root vegetables:

• 1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 small to medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 small beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 Tablespoon/15g coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/8th teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the creamy turmeric dressing:

• 3 Tablespoons/45g raw cashew butter
• 3 Tablespoons/45ml filtered water
• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1/8th teaspoon fine sea salt
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

For the kale salad:

• 1 small bunch lacinato kale, stems removed
• ½ Tablespoon/7g extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup/ 28g shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. On a parchment lined sheet pan toss the sweet potato, carrots, and beets with the coconut oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Toss genetly with hands until evenly coated and roast for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender and lightly browned in spots.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together all the ingredients for the turmeric dressing together and set aside.
4. Finely chiffonade the kale into ribbons with a sharp knife then toss with the olive oil and salt in a large bowl, massaging firmly until the leaves soften.
5. Add the warm vegetables to the kale and drizzle with turmeric dressing. Top the salad with chopped pistachios and serve warm or at room temperature.

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• 
  Artisana Organics Non GMO Raw Cashew Butter, 14 oz | No Sugar Added | Paleo and Whole30 Compliant

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 345Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 850mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 4gSugar: 11gProtein: 6g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

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Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she’s been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.