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This vegan roasted sweet potato salad is made with kale, beets, and a smoked paprika-tahini dressing. It’s super hearty, nourishing, and easy to make. Can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Overhead photo of a sweet potato, beet, kale, and tahini salad on a white plate.

Looking for a hearty, filling salad recipe? You’ve come to the right place! This vegan sweet potato salad is packed with nutritious ingredients and the most delicious cumin, smoked paprika and tahini dressing to tie it all together!

This recipe is easy to make and can be made in advance (I love it for a make-ahead lunch). You can enjoy it as a side salad or a main – I’ve included some additional protein pairing ideas for you below if you want to make it a main dish!

As always, as a dietitian I’m happy to share that this recipe is filled with fiber-rich starches, healthy fats, and plenty of veggies. I share more about the unique nutrition benefits of the key ingredients below if interested. Enjoy!

Want more delicious, hearty salad recipe inspiration? Check out my roundup of 15+ easy, healthy fall and winter salad recipes for more ideas!

Overhead photo of a sweet potato, beet, kale, and tahini salad on a white plate.

Ingredients Needed

All you need to make this sweet potato salad are 11 simple ingredients:

Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!

Overhead photo of small bowls of ingredients on a wood cutting board.

Recipe Modifications & Swaps

  1. If you’re not vegan, feel free to use honey in place of maple syrup in the dressing.
  2. If you’d like, you can purchase and use pre-steamed baby beets in place of the roasted beets. They are definitely a little less messy and quick to use. Otherwise, golden beets are also an option in place of red beets.
  3. I used curly/green kale for this recipe, but chopped lacinato/dinosaur kale would work as well.
  4. I used Thompson raisins for this recipe, but feel free to use another type (like golden raisins) or even some dried cranberries instead.

Optional Protein Ideas

While you will find some smaller amounts of protein from the tahini and pecans, feel free to serve this alongside your favourite protein/main dish. If you’d like to enjoy this sweet potato salad as a main meal, you can also throw some protein options directly into it.

Here are some ideas:

  • hard boiled eggs (this is how I’ve been eating this recipe!)
  • chickpeas (roasted or canned)
  • sautéed shrimp (I also made this recipe with these smoked paprika shrimp – they went perfectly!)
  • grilled or baked chicken
  • crispy baked tofu

Can You Make This Salad In Advance?

Yes! Kale salads always hold up really well, as I find the ingredients continue to absorb the flavours of the dressing and the kale softens a bit. Simply store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Feel free to make this one in advance, or keep leftovers for a day or two! It makes a great packed or work-from-home lunch option 🙂

Overhead photo of cubed sweet potatoes and beets on a baking sheet.

Sweet Potato Nutrition Benefits

Sweet potatoes are a great source of dietary fibre, with one medium-sized sweet potato providing almost 4 grams (15% of your daily needs).

From a micronutrient standpoint, sweet potatoes are an incredible source of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A. One medium sweet potato provides 386% of your daily vitamin A needs! Beta carotene also has antioxidant properties, helping to prevent cellular damage.

Sweet potatoes are also a source of other micronutrients, like:

  • potassium
  • magnesium
  • calcium
  • iron
  • phosphorus
  • vitamin B6
  • vitamin E
  • vitamin C

Beet Nutrition Benefits

The root portion of the beet plant is rich in nutrition. One cup of beetroot provides about 15% of your daily fibre needs, along with micronutrients like:

  • vitamin C
  • iron
  • vitamin B6
  • magnesium
  • potassium
  • folate

Beets are rich in different phytochemicals that give them their vibrant colours. These phytochemicals are known to support health overall (many of them act as antioxidants)!

Beetroots are also known for their dietary nitrate content, which your body converts into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps to dilate your blood vessels, increase blood flow, improve exercise endurance, and even to lower blood pressure.

Kale Nutrition Benefits

Just one cup of kale provides over 100% of your daily needs for:

  • vitamin A (206%)
  • vitamin K (684%)
  • vitamin C (134%)

Kale is also a good source of other micronutrients like:

  • manganese
  • magnesium
  • potassium
  • calcium
  • copper
  • vitamin B6

That same cup provides 2 grams of dietary fibre, helping to keep your gut and heart happy. In addition to micronutrients, kale is also loaded with antioxidants, which prevent cellular damage and provide a multitude of health benefits.

Closeup photo of a sweet potato, beet, kale, and tahini salad on a white plate.

More Hearty Salad Recipes

Did you give this Sweet Potato Salad Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!

If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Salad With Kale, Beets & Smokey Tahini Dressing

This vegan roasted sweet potato salad is made with kale, beets, and a smoked paprika-tahini dressing. It's super hearty, nourishing, and easy to make. Can be enjoyed warm or cold.
Overhead photo of a sweet potato, beet, kale, and tahini salad on a white plate.
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5 from 8 votes
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Ingredients

Smokey Tahini Dressing:

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Peel the sweet potato and beets. Chop both vegetables into approximately 1/2-inch cubes.
  • Place cubed sweet potatoes and beets on the baking sheet. Toss in olive oil, salt + pepper. Spread in an even single layer (with some space between veggies) and roast in the oven for 30 mins.
  • Meanwhile, prep kale: remove from hard stems, wash/dry in a salad spinner, then chop or tear into smaller pieces.
  • Add all dressing ingredients to a small-medium sized bowl. Gradually add 1 Tbsp of water at a time until desired consistency is reached. For reference, I used 4 Tbsps of water here! Season to taste and set aside.
  • Place pecans on a small baking sheet, then place in the oven for 6 minutes (you can do this in the last 6 mins of roasting the veggies!) They should be toasty, but not burnt (keep an eye on them).
  • Remove everything from the oven. Add kale to a large mixing bowl and top with roasted sweet potatoes, beets, toasted pecans, and raisins. Pour tahini dressing overtop and toss until well-combined.
  • Feel free to serve immediately, or allow the dressing to sit and soften the kale for about 10 mins. Enjoy!

Notes

*SERVINGS: This recipe will make about 4 servings if enjoyed as a side salad. If you have it as a main meal, it would be more like 2 or 3 servings!
*LEFTOVERS: Feel free to make this one in advance, or keep leftovers for a day or two! It makes a great packed or work-from-home lunch option. Simply store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
*ADDITIONAL PROTEIN SERVING IDEAS: While you will find some smaller amounts of protein from the tahini and pecans, feel free to serve this alongside your favourite protein/main dish. If you’d like to enjoy this sweet potato salad as a main meal, you can also throw some protein options directly to it. Here are some ideas:
  • hard boiled eggs (this is how I’ve been eating this recipe!)
  • chickpeas (roasted or canned)
  • sautéed shrimp (I also made this recipe with these smoked paprika shrimp – they went perfectly!)
  • grilled or baked chicken
  • crispy baked tofu
*RECIPE MODIFICATIONS:
  • If you’re not vegan, feel free to use honey in place of maple syrup in the dressing.
  • If you’d like, you can purchase and use pre-steamed baby beets in place of the roasted beets. They are definitely a little less messy and quick to use. Otherwise, golden beets are also an option in place of red beets.
  • I used curly/green kale for this recipe, but chopped lacinato/dinosaur kale would work as well.
  • I used Thompson raisins for this recipe, but feel free to use another type (like golden raisins) or even some dried cranberries instead.

Nutrition

As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.

Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!

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Pinterest graphic for a sweet potato salad with kale, beets, and tahini recipe.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy.