• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Oh My Veggies logo

  • Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegetarian Main Dishes
    • Vegetarian Appetizers
    • Vegetarian Breakfast Recipes
    • Vegetarian Side Dishes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Snack Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Sauces, Spreads and Condiments
    • Holiday Recipes
    • From our Readers
  • Cooking Tips & Hints
    • Cooking Tips
    • Plant-Based Nutrition
    • Product Reviews
  • Shop Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Find Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Free Meal Plan
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Find Recipes
    • Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Free Meal Plan
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Salads

    Roasted Sweet Potato, Pomegranate and Massaged Kale Salad

    Published: Oct 13, 2014 · by Meg · Updated: May 19, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Roasted Sweet Potato, Pomegranate, and Massaged Kale Salad
    There is something about a hearty salad that makes my taste buds swoon! The firework flavors of this fall-inspired massaged kale salad--silky, sweet kale with roasted sweet potatoes, salty pepitas, creamy goat cheese and tart pomegranate seeds--does just that.

    Kale is a hearty, nutrient-dense veggie that can withstand cold weather, and it has become one of my go-to greens for fall salads. As with a lot of winter greens, it has a bitter bite, but massaging it imparts a nice slightly sweet flavor.

    Now, maybe you are wondering, "Why and how do I go about treating my kale to a massage?" It's so easy and really makes a world of difference in the flavor and texture of your salad. When you take a few extra minutes to show your kale a little love, it loosens right up and shows you its sweeter side.

    Let me show you how!

    How to Massage Kale

    Remove the tough part of the stem from each kale leaf. The stem at the top is tender, so I leave about ¼-inch of the rib at the top of the leaf and discard the rest.

    How to Massage Kale

    Stack leaves on top of each other, then roll them tightly into a bundle.

    How to Massage Kale

    Slice the roll of kale leaves into ribbons--about ½-inch thick is a good size.

    How to Massage Kale

    Place the shredded kale in a large bowl or pan and add ½ teaspoon Kosher salt and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Your pile of kale will start off huge, but will shrink by at least half after massaging.

    How to Massage Kale

    Use your hands to gently massage the lemon juice and salt into the kale. Rub fistfuls of kale together, gently squeeze, then repeat. It can take anywhere between 3 to 5 minutes for the kale leaves to darken and shrink down in size, and for the texture to become silky smooth.

    How to Massage Kale

    Once the kale has visibly changed and has no bitterness left when you taste it, drizzle in ½ tablespoon olive oil.

    How to Massage Kale

    Massage another 30 seconds or so, just to mix in the oil. Now the tough texture and bitter flavor that makes so many people hate raw kale is gone!

    Roasted Sweet Potato, Pomegranate, and Massaged Kale Salad

    Roasted sweet potatoes join up with tender massaged kale and creamy goat cheese in this wholesome jewel-toned salad.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Kale salad, Roasted Sweet Potato, Pomegranate, and Massaged Kale Salad, salad recipe
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 635kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    For the salad:

    • 2 large sweet potatoes scrubbed and cut into ¼-inch thick rounds
    • 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil divided
    • 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
    • Black Pepper
    • 6 cups sliced Lacinato kale about 1-2 bunches, depending on size
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
    • ¼ cup roasted salted pepitas
    • ¼ heaping cup pomegranate arils

    For the Pomegranate Vinaigrette:

    • ¾ cup olive oil
    • ¼ cup pomegranate vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • Pinch white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Arrange the seasoned sweet potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. (If your sweet potatoes are very large you may have to roast them on two separate sheet pans to avoid overcrowding the pan.) Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake until tender, 25-30 minutes.
    • While the potatoes are roasting, make the dressing. Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients to a jar with an airtight lid. Seal tightly and shake vigorously until emulsified. Set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl or rimmed sheet pan, combine the shredded kale, ½ teaspoon salt and lemon juice. Use your hands to gently massage the kale until it wilts and darkens in color, 3-5 minutes. It should have no bitterness when you take a test bite. Drizzle the kale with remaining ½ tablespoon oil and toss to distribute.
    • Place the massaged kale on a large platter, arrange the roasted sweet potatoes on top and sprinkle with the goat cheese crumbles, pepitas and pomegranate arils. Serve with the dressing on the side.

    Notes

    I used a combination of orange and white sweet potatoes in this particular salad. You can use both or just one type if you prefer. White sweet potatoes are usually slightly milder in flavor than the orange.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 635kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 8gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 38gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 2079mgPotassium: 622mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 19330IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 2mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Five-Spice Sriracha Roasted Sweet Potatoes
    30 Days of 5 Ingredient Vegetarian Dinners »

    Holiday Recipes, Salads, Thanksgiving Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes fall, kale, pomegranate, salad, sweet potato

    Meg from Beard and Bonnett

    About Meg

    Meg van der Kruik is the blogger, photographer, and recipe developer behind This Mess is Ours, an omnivorous food blog with an incredible collection of gluten-free, vegetarian recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anjanee @ Fig & Honey says

      October 13, 2014 at 9:47 am

      The colors are so beautiful in this salad! I've treated my kale to a massage in the past but never for this long. Will have to try your method and I'm sure the taste and texture will be just so much better!

      Reply
    2. Samantha @FerraroKitchen says

      October 13, 2014 at 1:10 pm

      These are some of my favorite flavors!! Gorgeous!

      Reply
    3. Liz @ Floating Kitchen says

      October 13, 2014 at 10:59 pm

      What an absolutely gorgeous salad. This looks perfect for the holidays. Love those colors!

      Reply
    4. Brian @ A Thought For Food says

      October 14, 2014 at 12:16 pm

      SO so so lovely. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is ready to put pomegranate on top of everything. I'm obsessed.

      Reply
    5. Shirley Robertson says

      October 14, 2014 at 1:11 pm

      This looks really tasty! Never massaged kale so will give it a go!!

      Reply
    6. Kate says

      October 14, 2014 at 3:37 pm

      This looks delicious! I always seem to have kale knocking about in the fridge, and am constantly looking for new things to do with it. Yum yum 🙂

      Reply
    7. Joanne Bruno says

      October 15, 2014 at 4:33 pm

      I think massaged kale is my favorite way to eat kale! It makes for the best salads. Especially when tossed with one of my favorite orange veggies! YUM.

      Reply
    8. Diana says

      December 30, 2018 at 8:30 pm

      LOVED this SO much! To speed up the sweet potato, I diced it and baked it at 425. Outrageously delicious, colorful and nutritious. Made it for a holiday brunch. Served with whole-wheat pumpkin waffles, spicy Italian sausage and a citrus and mint salad.

      Reply

    Something to say? Leave a comment. Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    image of the author

    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
    Learn more here.

    signature of author

    get a free 5 day vegetarian meal plan

    shop our vegetarian and vegan cookbooks

    Trending Recipes

    • Strawberry Mojito Popsicles (Don't Forget the Rum!)
    • Thai Veggie Pizza
    • Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
    • Spinach Mushroom Frittata

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Shop Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Still hungry? Check out our delicious family of blogs.

    link to VegKitchen.com - vegan recipes website
    link to deliciouseveryday.com - a vegetarian and vegan recipes website
    link to allshecooks.com - a food blog
    link to wandertooth.com - a travel website

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Hook & Porter Media

    1.3K shares