Southwestern Kale Power Salad
Healthy kale and quinoa power salad with spicy sweet potato, black beans and creamy avocado sauce. This gluten-free salad packs well for lunch, too!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
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This hearty salad features a few of my all-time favorite ingredients. Here we have massaged kale, quinoa, spiced sweet potatoes, and black beans served with a dollop of creamy avocado sauce. I added crumbled feta and toasted pepitas for good measure.
I’d cook with only these ingredients if it weren’t for diversity’s sake. This texture-rich vegetarian salad packs great for lunch. If you like to meal prep for the week, this is an excellent candidate. Given the number of components, this is not the quickest recipe around, but it’s absolutely work the effort.
This recipe has been a reader favorite since it was originally published in 2015 (really, nine years ago?). I developed it during a month-long stay in Austin, Texas with my friend Ali. You could probably say that the Southwestern vibes influenced the recipe.
Today, this salad is getting fresh photos and some slight revisions. Enjoy!
How to Make This Power Salad
You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s a brief rundown with notes and video.
- Cook the quinoa. The recipe uses my foolproof method of cooking quinoa, which will differ from the instructions on your bag. You can make the quinoa a day in advance, if you’d like.
- Cook the sweet potatoes in a skillet. I love roasted sweet potatoes, but these sweet potatoes are cut quite small, so the skillet method is ideal. We’ll add a little bit of water, cover and let them steam until tender, then uncover and cook them until they’re caramelized on the edges.
- Massage and dress the kale. Massaging the kale (literally just scrunching it in your hands until it’s darker and softer) removes all the poky edges and improves the flavor. Then we’ll whisk together a simple olive oil and lime dressing, and toss to coat.
- Make the avocado sauce. Combine the ingredients in a food processor and blend. Add more lime juice, if you’d like. The sauce should be nicely tart, but not overwhelmingly so.
- Toast the pepitas in a skillet. Freshly-toasted pepitas taste amazing and are totally worth the extra few minutes. Keep an eye on the skillet, as it’s easy to turn on the heat and forget until they’re too toasty.
- Assemble! Divide the components between bowls as shown, and enjoy.
Watch How to Make Southwestern Kale Power Salad
More Sweet Potato and Kale Recipes
- Coconut Curried Kale and Sweet Potato
- Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale & Pesto Vinaigrette
- Spicy Sweet Potato and Green Rice Burrito Bowls
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Pepita Dip
- Sweet Potato, Kale and Chickpea Soup
Please let me know how this recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Southwestern Kale Power Salad with Sweet Potato, Quinoa & Avocado Sauce
Healthy kale and quinoa power salad with spicy sweet potato, black beans and creamy avocado sauce. If your lime are particularly big, scale back. This gluten-free, vegetarian (easily vegan) salad packs well for lunch, too! Recipe yields 4 generous salads or 6 medium.
Ingredients
Quinoa and kale
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped into very small, bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium lime, juiced
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
Sweet potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), sliced into small, ¼-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
Avocado sauce
- 2 ripe avocados, sliced into long strips
- ¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 1 medium jalapeño, deseeded, membranes removed and roughly chopped
- 1 handful cilantro leaves
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander, optional
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
Everything else
- 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta
- ¼ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for a minute or two. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess water and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
- To cook the sweet potatoes: In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped sweet potatoes and toss to coat, then add the cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Stir to combine. Once the pan is sizzling, add a scant ¼ cup water, then cover the pan and reduce heat to low to avoid burning the contents. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is easily pierced through with a fork, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Uncover the pan, raise the heat back to medium and cook until the excess moisture has evaporated and the sweet potatoes are caramelizing on the edges, about 3 to 7 minutes (add another little splash of olive oil if the potatoes start sticking to the pan). Set aside to cool.
- To prepare the kale: Transfer the kale to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the chopped kale with salt and use your hands to “massage” it, which improves the flavor. Just grab handfuls of kale in your hands and scrunch it up in your palms. Repeat until the kale is darker green in color and more fragrant. Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of 1 lime and ½ teaspoon salt. Drizzle over the kale and toss to coat.
- To make the avocado sauce: Combine the ingredients as listed in a food processor or blender. Blend well, add more lime juice if desired, and season with salt, to taste.
- To toast the pepitas: In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the pepitas, stirring frequently, until they are turning lightly golden on the edges and starting to make little popping noises, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Once the quinoa has cooled down a bit, pour it into the bowl of kale and toss to combine. Divide the kale and quinoa mixture into four large salad bowls. Top with sweet potatoes, black beans, a big dollop of avocado sauce, and a sprinkle of feta and pepitas.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta.
Storage suggestions: This salad keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for a few days. To keep the avocado sauce fresh, store it separately in a small bowl, with plastic wrap pressed against the top surface to prevent oxidation.
Change it up: Butternut squash or carrots would be good substitutions for the sweet potatoes.
Edits January 11, 2024: Adjusted avocado sauce by omitting 2 tablespoons olive oil (unnecessary), decreasing the salt for the sweet potatoes from 1 ½ teaspoons to ½ teaspoon, and specifying the amounts of lime juice and salt.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made this today without the feta and it was AMAZING!!!!! Love it!!!
Wonderful to hear, Diane!
We call this the “fiber bowl” and have made it twice. My husband who sells cattle and was raised on beef LOVES it. He kept saying,“are you sure this isn’t dessert?” Think I’ll try it with the butternut squash next time. Thanks Kate (and Cookie) for ALL your delicious recipes and your stylish website and videos!
That’s great! I’m glad it was a hit for both of you, Cindy.
My daughter, who lives in DC, asked me to make this for her. After we ate it, we both agreed that if we ordered this in a restaurant here, it would be very expensive. We absolutely loved this recipe, and the only thing I changed was substituting toasted pecans for the pepitas.
I’m glad you and your daughter loved it, Leslie! I appreciate your review.
Great technique for cooking the sweet potatoes. I subbed chicken broth for water to cook the sweet potatoes and I think it added an extra bit of flavor. The avocado sauce was absolutely delicious and I will be making this regularly.
My absolute favorite salad! It lasts me about 4-5 days. I wish I could eat it for breakfast because I crave it when I know it’s sitting in the fridge :)
I would eat it for breakfast! ;)
This is absolutely phenomenal!! The lime juice on the kale makes a huge difference and the avocado sauce is out of this world! I made it exactly as written (debated on just roasting the sweet potatoes in the oven and didn’t) and will be making it again and again! Thank you for a perfect fall recipe!
You’re welcome, Nancy! I appreciate your review.
I must have made this recipe for the first time 5 years ago for a work potluck and since then I have continued making it to where I don’t even need to look it up anymore so I just thought I’d say thank you for this amazing recipe. My family loves it. Sorry for the late review.
I love that you keep coming back to this recipe! I appreciate your review.
I have never left a review for anything until now. I just had to let you know this was terrific. I thought the feta might be weird with the cumin, but it worked. And while the avocado sauce tasted a bit tart on it’s own, it was fabulous with the quinoa and veggie mixture. Thanks for a great recipe!
This was nutritious & DELICIOUS! Thank you for always making dinner fun.
Just made this for this week’s meal prep and it looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
I did try the Avocado sauce and I ended up adding maple syrup to it because I think I added too much lime. It made it taste delightful
I love all of your recipes!
Thank you, Jessica! I’m glad you loved it.
Made this for a yoga retreat and it was a HUGE hit!! This is the most requested dish I make for our retreats!! I’ve added corn and red onions for those added bonus flavors. I regularly keep the prepared ingredients (quinoa, sweet potatoes, black beans, etc.) in separate containers in my frig so I’m able to toss the fixins into a to-go
salad box for lunch. Absolutely delicious!!!
That’s great to hear, Jennifer!
Hi! I saw your suggestion about carrots (instead of sweet potatoes), which is perfect for me! Would you suggest cooking them in the same way? Or any different tips?
Hi Rebecca, you could! It might be tricky to cut the carrots in the same way given their shape. You could instead do roasted carrots like these, if that’s easier.
In all seriousness you have THE BEST salad recipes. I can’t wait to make this one!!
Hello from Australia.I have made this recipe sooo many times. I have a couple of slight variations, I use Tuscan Kale as I find it “sweeter”. I also don’t blend the avacados, we don’t seem to ever do that here, I make a chunky guacamole and pile it on top.
Thanks Kate for your generosity in sharing your recipes, they are all delicious. Ready for the next cookbook too please!
Another fabulous recipe. Made it exactly as written. Nice Melbourne summer recipe. Thanks so much.
You’re welcome, Sandi!
Absolutely nourishing and delicious! Also, I got my sister your cookbook for Christmas and she’s been making meals from it 5 days a week since then
Excited to try this! Would it work with baby kale?
It won’t hold up as well as leftovers, but should still taste good! Let me know what you think, Z.
This salad was fantastic (yours are my go-to recipes!). I had it warm, and it makes such a perfect winter salad.
Thank you for your review, Karen! I’m glad you loved it.
This salad is delicious & a complete meal in a bowl, I used black quinoa. I will definitely be making it again, thanks so much xx so enjoyed it
Wonderful meal prep recipe! Just made this for my husband. It’s both healthy and delicious! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!
I made it for lunch today without the pepitas and feta since I didn’t have these ingredients. I found it really good and satisfying. Thetip on massaging the kale was great! Will make again.
We make this salad often, its a family favourite! I also add good quality cherry tomatoes. Its avocado sauce makes it amazing.
I have a question regarding the heat of the addition of the jalapeño. I have friends that don’t like spicy food. Is this a spicy tasting dressing? I’m thinking of making two seperate dressings , but would rather only make one. Thank you.
I don’t find is spicy. Just be sure to not include the seeds. I hope you try it!
this salad looks great except that I don’t like kale. Would it work with spinach instead?
You could try it. Let me know what you think!
My husband and I really loved this recipe! The combination of flavors and textures is wonderful, and knowing we’re eating healthy is a huge plus. As an added bonus, we have started using the sweet potato and avocado sauce parts of the recipe as accompaniments to other dinners. This is a keeper, for sure!
This was delicious!!!I My husband and I have loved every recipe made from your website…..so much so that I just purchased your book! Many of your recipes are my go to staples. You are a wonderful cook!
Thank you for your review, Lisa!
okay, I made it with modifications and it was still terrific – the essence of the bowl didn’t change. First, I only made one serving – I used a giant bowl (111 g) of mixed greens from my garden (kale, collards, romaine, arugula, napa). I sprayed that with white vinegar. I used 1/2 cup of cranberry beans I’d cooked and frozen. I used a cup of wholly guacamole since I didn’t have any avocados. I used smoky pepitas (because they were prepped and in the fridge). I cooked a bit less than 1/4 cup of quinoa in a 3 qt IP (and cooked it with seasoning and put a touch of lemon juice on it). I used purple sweet potatoes (because that’s what I still have a ton of) and cooked them in the June oven because I don’t use oil. And skipped the feta.
Thank you for sharing how you made this, Janet! I appreciate your review.
Absolultely delicious!! I did not have black beans and avocados as I made this on the spur of the moment but it was just fabulous anyway! The flavors all go so well together and it is just perfect. I had a purple sweet potato and used that–so yummy!!
I’m glad you loved it, Stephanie! I appreciate your review.
5 star salad! I baked the sweet potato in the spice mix. Excellent flavours and loved the avocado sauce. It made a very substantial salad which I will make many more times. Yum, Thankyou!
You’re welcome, Marilla!
Me again. My quinoa had the texture of oatmeal. I had to throw it away and start again since I prepped everything else for the salad. Wish me luck. I will follow your instructions exactly like I have the last two times and crossed my fingers.
A couple of weeks ago we decided to eat vegan, and I found your website. My family also has to be gluten-free, so this salad looked like a great option for us. We LOVED it! I have made it several times since that first week! Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re welcome, Anna! I appreciate your review.
Honestly was skeptical… but man I was surprised… yummy yummy. Kale is a hard sell with kids but they did not mind.. the avacado sauce did the trick
I’m glad you loved it, Sridevi!
Help!
I saw a recent salad recipe you posted. Made with romaine, it was a simple salad with a mint/lime dressing, possibly using the crispy chickpeas. I was in a hurry and couldn’t print it. Kate, I’m turning 70 tomorrow and having a giant party on Saturday and I want to serve gobs of that salad! I can’t find it on your website nor in my email.
Sorry to use this comment to ask a questions but I thought it might be quicker this way. Love your site, some of your recipes have become regulars for us, and I always know it’ll be good if it comes from you!
Hi Lynn, Fattoush Salad with Mint Dressing is my salad with mint dressing. Is this the recipe you are looking for?
This recipe is DELICIOUS!! My husband and I devoured it, and we have leftovers for work tomorrow. Sorry I didn’t post it to IG, I sat down and started eating immediately, but it would have made a beautiful picture. Next time :)
I’m excited it was a hit, Dale!
This sauce is sooooo good. I ended up having a bunch of veggies to use up so I went for a bit of a different style here. Still used kale and quinoa but used a mix of veggies and halloumi (instead of sweet potato, beans, feta). So just came here to say that this sauce is amazing and versatile. I’ll be trying this one on tacos and other recipes too!!
Thanks Kate! Your recipes having been keeping me healthy, happy, and well-fed for over a decade! :)
You’re welcome, Kiirsti!
I really like how you give the option for the portions in the receipe! Going away to make the reciepe. Wish me luck.
I hope you love it, Charlotte!
Another C+K winner! I just tried this last night and it was a hit. That avocado sauce was so good! The steaming/then roasting the sweet potatoes was a little tricky for me, but that’s just my own beginner skill set lol. Thanks for the great recipe, I can’t wait to try more of your excellent suggestions!
This recipe looks amazing and I’d love to try it, but I’m allergic to avocados (which totally sucks). Any suggestions for a substitute? Thank you!
I’m sorry to hear that! You could try my Cilantro Lime Dressing dressing.
I thought this was yummy! I don’t know if my avocado sauce came out as it was supposed to since I didn’t have cilantro and my avocados weren’t great, but once combined, the dish tasted wonderful! I will definitely make this again.
That’s great, Diane!
Absolutely delicious!!! All of my favorite ingredients.