Winter Quinoa Kale Salad
Roasted sweet potatoes, fennel, and chickpeas are tossed with warm quinoa and massaged kale in a lemon vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa 170g
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth 475ml
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 cup canned chickpeas rinsed and drained, 165g
- 2 cups cubed sweet potatoes 1/2-inch (1.25cm) pieces, 260g
- 1 large fennel bulb cored and sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil 30ml
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar 25g
- 3 cups chopped curly kale tough stems removed, 60g
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds 50g
- 1/4 cup lemon vinaigrette plus more to taste, 60ml
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken broth, quinoa, and 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and leave covered.
- Dry the rinsed chickpeas well with a paper towel. Place the chickpeas, cubed sweet potatoes, and sliced fennel on the prepared baking sheet.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and chickpeas. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons of kosher salt and the brown sugar. Toss with your hands to coat evenly, then spread everything into a single layer.
- Roast for 10 minutes. Remove the pan, toss the ingredients, and return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender, the fennel is browned, and the chickpeas are crisp.
- While the vegetables roast, place the chopped kale in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to rub and massage the leaves for 1 to 2 minutes until they soften and darken in color.
- Add the warm cooked quinoa to the bowl with the kale and toss so the heat slightly wilts the greens.
- Gently fold in half of the roasted vegetables and chickpeas, the sliced almonds, and 1/4 cup (60ml) of the lemon vinaigrette. Taste and add more dressing and black pepper if desired. Top with the remaining roasted vegetables and chickpeas to serve.
Notes
Drying the chickpeas before roasting helps them crisp up in the oven. Wet chickpeas will steam and remain soft.
You can substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian.
If the sweet potatoes cook faster than the fennel or chickpeas, remove them from the pan with a spatula and set aside while the rest finish roasting.