This vegan roasted vegetable salad with apple, kale and balsamic dressing takes 30 minutes to make and is packed with flavour in every bite.
This wonderfully comforting warm salad is perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving, a healthy meal prep or a quick side dish any night of the week.
Roasted vegetables like sweet potato, Brussels sprouts and onion are amazing in salads. They’re perfect for adding texture, flavour, warmth and nutrition. You can also try them in this Fall Harvest Salad with Tahini Maple Dressing, Quinoa Kale Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Roasted Vegetable Lentil Salad.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Salad
- Vegan and gluten-free.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients.
- Nutritious and satisfying.
- Meal-prep friendly.
- Enjoy as a light meal or pair with protein.
- Easily customized.
- Enjoy this as a warm or cold salad.
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet Potato: You can use sweet potato or yam.
- Red Onion: White or yellow onion is ok to substitute.
- Kale: Any kale variety works, curly, lacinato, etc.
- Apple: Any apple works. I used Cosmic Crisp apples, which were perfect.
- Almonds: Almonds can be substituted with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pecans or walnuts. You can use raw almonds but I used salted roasted almonds in this salad for some extra flavour.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Additions & Swaps
- Add up to 1 cup cooked couscous or quinoa.
- Add up to 1 cup cooked French or green or brown lentils.
- Add 1 can of chickpeas or white beans.
- Use spinach instead of kale or serve over a bed of greens.
- Serve topped with feta cheese or goat cheese.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Chop the veggies and add to two large baking sheets. Add half of the oil to each pan and season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix and coat the veggies then roast for about 20-25 minutes until browned and tender.
Step 2: Add the kale to a large bowl with 1/2 tsp of olive oil. Massage with your hands to soften then add the almonds and diced apple.
Step 3: Mix the balsamic dressing in a small bowl or container.
Step 4: Add the roasted vegetables and dressing to the bowl with the kale and mix well.
FAQs
Yes. You can eat leftover roasted vegetables cold or they can be reheated. This salad can be reheated or enjoyed cold or at room temperature.
If the pan is overcrowded, the veggies will steam rather than roast. Be sure to use large enough pans to allow for an even layer with a little space around each vegetable.
It’s not necessary. I think you get a better result roasting vegetables on an unlined pan and it doesn’t necessarily help with clean up as some of the juices typically make there way under the foil or parchment paper.
You can store leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Enjoy leftovers cold or reheat in the microwave until heated through.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Roasted Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Dressing
Warm up with this flavour-packed warm roasted vegetable salad. Packed with nutrients and easy to make with simple ingredients. Gluten-free and meal-prep friendly too!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 277kcal
For the Salad
- 1 medium sweet potato about 2 heaping cups cubed
- 2 cups quartered Brussels sprouts
- 1 red onion chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 cups lightly packed chopped kale
- 1 apple diced
- 1/4 cup almonds chopped
For the Dressing
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- salt and pepper
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Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare two large baking sheets.
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Chop the sweet potato, red onion and Brussels sprouts and spread them on the baking sheets in an even layer.
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Add 1 tsp olive oil to each pan and season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix and coat the veggies in the oil, salt and pepper.
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Roast the vegetables for 20-25 minutes until everything is tender.
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Add the finely chopped kale to a large bowl with the remaining 1 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage with your hands to soften. Add the chopped almonds and apple.
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Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
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Add the roasted vegetables and dressing to the bowl with the kale and mix well.
Leftover salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Enjoy leftovers cold or reheat in the microwave until heated through.
Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 94mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 9424IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 2mg