Sweet Potato Salad with Kale, Lentils and Za'atar Dressing

This hearty recipe for Sweet Potato Salad with kale, lentils, parsley and toasted walnuts is next level--healthy, filling and crazy delish! Guests always rave when I serve this, but I honestly love it for meal prep since the flavors get even better in the fridge. Did I mention the fresh orange za'atar dressing is a total flavor bomb? Add a sprinkle of feta to take it over the top!

Oh hi it's me, as a salad. A bowl full of perfectly oven-roasted sweet taters with the most splendid dressing and the add-ins of my dreams. Caramely dates! Zippy shallots! Fresh parsley! And oh oh oh, toasted walnuts. Slow clap, please.

And lettuce not forget an entire bunch of kale for good measure and a can o' lentils to deem it meal-worthy. Name a better salad!! I'll wait.

The low down on key ingredients

• Sweet potatoes: I developed this recipe with a full sheet pan of golden roasted sweet potatoes. The good news is no need to peel! Hallelujah.
• Lentils: When I was creating this recipe, I knew I wanted sweet potatoes to be the star but I wanted the other players to be intentional. Canned lentils are a no-brainer (hello, no boiling) plant protein addition to make this salad even more satisfying. A must in my crazy good lentil kale salad with feta and olives, too!
• Shallot: I tested this recipe with red onion and liked it but thought a more delicate onion could be even better. Shallots are mild but still have that sharp edge that adds the perfect flavor and texture contrast to this salad.
• Za'atar: This fragrant middle eastern spice is my absolute fave for adding tons of flavor to veggie dishes (not to mention avocado toast). It adds so much depth that really bring.
• Kale: I tested this recipe with curly and lacinato kale and I prefer the latter since you don't need to massage it. I love the nutrition boost and pop of color it adds to this recipe!
• Parsley: I'm such a sucker for fresh herbs in a salad because they make the flavor so much more dynamic. I originally tested this recipe with cilantro (which you can totally use) but loved it best with parsley.

Let's make it!

I'm so ridiculously excited for you to make this and lunch on it all week long. The good life!!

Pretty please let me know in the comments if you do.

Filling Sweet Potato Salad with Kale, Lentils and Za'atar Dressing

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• Author: Alexis Joseph
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Yield: 4-6 servings (8 cups) 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This hearty recipe for Sweet Potato Salad with kale, lentils, parsley and toasted walnuts is next level--healthy, filling and crazy delish! Guests always rave when I serve this, but I honestly love it for meal prep since the flavors get even better in the fridge. Did I mention the fresh orange za'atar dressing is a total flavor bomb? Add a sprinkle of feta to take it over the top! This recipe makes about 8 cups.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the salad:

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ⅓ cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 bunch lacinato (or "dinosaur" kale), de-stemmed and chopped*
• ¼ cup chopped shallots
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 3 medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 15 oz can lentils, well-drained (1 ⅓ cup cooked lentils)
• optional: handful of feta, crumbled

For the dressing:

• ½ navel orange, juiced (¼ cup juice)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp za'atar
• ½ tsp Aleppo pepper flakes (or ¼ tsp red pepper flakes)
• ¾ tsp kosher salt + pinch of black pepper

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Place sweet potatoes on an extra large baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp kosher salt. Toss to coat then spread in an even layer. Roast for 23 minutes.
2. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle on walnuts. Return to oven and cook for another 7 minutes, or until walnuts are golden and fragrant, keeping an eye on them to make sure they don't burn. Set aside to cool slightly. (Alternatively, you can cook potatoes for 30 minutes and toast walnuts in a pan over medium heat for 7 minutes.)
3. Meanwhile, chop kale and place in a large mixing bowl. Add shallots, parsley, dates, and lentils. 
4. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. 
5. Add cooked sweet potatoes and walnuts to mixing bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Taste and adjust for salt--depending on the salt level in your lentils and za'atar, you may need more (both of mine are salted). I love sprinkling good feta on top! Serve room temperature. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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Notes

*If using regular curly kale, massage it with ¼ tsp kosher salt before using to soften (and just subtract that amount from dressing).