This Kale Sweet Potato Salad is amazing! It features kale, couscous, caramelized sweet potatoes, tender black beans, creamy avocado, and an incredible basil-lemon vinaigrette.
COUSCOUS: In a medium pot, bring ½ cup water and ¼ tsp salt to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in the couscous. Quickly cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, fluff the couscous with a fork, breaking up any clumps. Set aside.
SWEET POTATOES: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel and cube the sweet potatoes into¾-inch pieces, ensuring you have 3 cups. Toss the sweet potato cubes with 1 tbsp of oil, ½ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp pepper. Spread out on a sheet pan (leaving spaces between the pieces) and roast for 15 minutes. Flip the pieces and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes until tender. Let cool.
DRESSING: In a mini blender or food processor, blend dressing ingredients until smooth. Adjust flavors to taste. Transfer the dressing to a Mason jar and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
MARINATE KALE: Place the finely chopped kale in a large salad bowl. Mix in 1 tbsp of the prepared dressing, scrunching firmly with both hands for about 15 seconds to soften the kale and infuse it with flavor. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
PISTACHIOS: Use a nut grinder or food processor to coarsely chop the pistachios, aiming for a mix of coarsely chopped nuts and some powder.
ASSEMBLY: For immediate serving: Toss kale and couscous in a large bowl. Top with other salad ingredients, add dressing to preference, adjust seasoning, and serve.For later or meal prep: Store salad components separately or layer in a Mason jar (See Note 4). Assemble as needed to avoid sogginess and browning. Add optional items as desired.
Notes
Note 1: Kale: This is about 1/2 bunch of kale.Remove stems, tightly roll the leaves, and thinly slice into shreds. Then, finely chop these shreds and gently pack them into a measuring cup for accurate measurement.
To remove kale stems: Hold the leaf with one hand, grip the stem firmly, and strip the leaves away with your fingers or a knife.
Note 2: Dressing: This dressing may yield more than you need for the salad. Add gradually and to taste preference. The longer the salad sits, the more dressing it may need as the couscous absorbs it.Note 3: Tools: Use a microplane for the zest; juice with a citrus juicer.Note 4: Mason jar layering: For grab-and-go meals, layer in this order: dressing, red onion, black beans, sweet potato, couscous, and kale. Add feta and pistachios in a little bag on top.