Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale Salad with Vegan Green Goddess Dressing

This roasted sweet potato and kale salad with quinoa and avocado is powerfully packed with superfoods.  Drizzled with a generous helping of vegan green goddess dressing made from cashews, lemon juice, cilantro and nutritional yeast.  You’ll feel so healthy and nourished!

When I was making this incredibly nutritious salad, I considered calling it the superfood power salad because that’s exactly what it is.  Full of ingredients that’ll make you feel energetic and amazing!  Also, its made with a creamy, nutty and herbaceous green goddess dressing that’s vegan.

The ingredients in this salad packs a powerful nutritional punch!

• Sweet potatoes: Loaded with vitamin B5, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin and carotenoids. 

• Quinoa:  Rich in fiber and protein.  Just one cup has 8g of protein and 5g of fiber!  Quinoa is also a good source of nutrients such as magnesium, manganese, zinc and iron.

• Kale: Packed with vitamins such as A, C, K, B and minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium and zinc.  Kale is also very high in powerful antioxidants such as quercetin and kaempferol which have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.

• Red onion:  Powerful antioxidant that’s high in vitamin C, B and potassium. 

• Avocado:  Rich in monounsaturated fats (“good fats”) that help lower LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”).  Also high in fiber and a good source of potassium, folate, vitamin C, E, B5, K and niacin.

What is green goddess dressing?

Green goddess dressing is typically made with mayonnaise or sour cream, chervil, chives, anchovy, tarragon, lemon  juice and pepper.  Now, there are many interpretations like lightened up versions using yogurt, any variety of green herbs and vegan versions like this recipe.  This vegan version uses cashews to achieve the creaminess and nutritional yeast and garlic to give it depth of flavour.

Its said that a chef at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco created it for the actor George Arliss to celebrate his hit play The Green Goddess.  With a name like that, who wouldn’t want to eat this dressing? 

Green goddess ingredients are full of nutritional wins!

• Cashews: Loaded with heart healthy fats and plant protein.  Also, rich in copper, magnesium and manganese which are important for energy and brain health.

• Lemon juice: High in vitamin C.

• Garlic: Helps boost the immune system to reduce the severity of cold and flus.  May help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

• Nutritional yeast: Great source of protein, B vitamins and minerals.  Also contains powerful antioxidants to boost immunity. 

• Cilantro: Contains vitamins A, C, and K, folate, potassium, and manganese.

• Salt and pepper: To season the dressing.

Tips for making this sweet potato, kale salad and green goddess dressing

1. Chop the kale very finely.  Because kale is fibrous, big pieces are hard to chew and will leave your jaw tired!
2. If you don’t like cilantro (which I know is love it or hate it), use any mix of green herbs you like eg. parsley, basil, mint or chives.
3. This recipe makes about 2 cups of green goddess dressing. If you have any left overs, you can keep it in the fridge for a few days and use it to dress other salads or as a dip for veggies.

For more delicious salads, check out:

• Strawberry romaine salad with honey walnuts
• Mediterranean salad
• Roasted pumpkin salad with spring greens, feta and cashews

Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale Salad with Vegan Green Goddess Dressing

This roasted sweet potato and kale salad with quinoa and avocado is powerfully packed with superfoods. Drizzled with a generous helping of vegan green goddess dressing made from cashews, lemon juice, cilantro and nutritional yeast. You’ll feel so healthy and nourished!

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Servings 5

Equipment

• High-powered blender

Ingredients

  

For the dressing

• 1 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 cup lightly packed cilantro or mix of any green herbs you like eg. parsley, basil, mint

For the salad

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups sweet potato chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3/4 cups quinoa
• 5 cups kale stems removed and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion diced
• 4 ripe avocados

Instructions

 

For the dressing

• In a high-powered blender add cashews, water, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add more water if needed.
• Add nutritional yeast and cilantro. Blend.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. It might need more salt, pepper or lemon juice if you like a more seasoned and tart dressing.

For the salad

• Mix cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until cooked.
• Cook quinoa with 1 and 1/2 cups water. Cover, boil and then turn the burner down to a simmer. Approximately 10 minutes cooking time. Transfer to a bowl. Fluff with a fork and let it cool down.
• In a large salad bowl, add the kale, sweet potato, quinoa, red onions and 1 cup of the salad dressing and toss. Split into smaller salad bowls. Top each bowl with one avocado, sliced or cut into cubes. Drizzle with more salad dressing.

Keyword Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale Salad with Vegan Green Goddess Dressing