This crunchy kale winter salad with pomegranates, root veggies, feta and pumpkin seeds has everything you need in a side. It's beautiful seasonal dish to share at parties!
I am that dietitian that will bring a salad to a dinner party. But we're not talking a boring garden salad. I'm all about holiday crunch salads, arugula quinoa salads, and kale harvest salads. You can count on any salad I bring to have a variety of flavours, crunch, and a delicious dressing.
I made this crunchy kale winter salad with pomegranates, sweet potatoes, feta cheese, pumpkin seeds and quinoa. Tossed in a creamy homemade balsamic dressing, this will be a salad you'll be making, even during the colder months. It checks all the boxes, including the most important one: taste!
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Nutrition powerhouse. There's so many colors in this salad, meaning we have a variety of micronutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. Eating the rainbow has never been easier!
- Antioxidant-rich. Pomegranate, sweet potato and pumpkin seeds are amazing sources of antioxidant to keep our body healthy and running in peak condition.
- No soggy salads. Kale is a sturdy green, meaning it won't get soggy even when mixed with a dressing. This crunchy kale salad is perfect for meal prep or bringing to holiday parties because it'll stay fresh for longer.
Ingredients
For the salad:
Kale. Curly kale is best, as dino and lacinto kale tend to be more bitter.
Sweet potato. An amazing source of vitamin A and fibre.
Pomegranates. I know deseeding whole pomegranates can be daunting, but it's a great way to save money. I always use this trick to make it easier.
Cucumber. I use seedless English cucumbers in this recipe.
Red onion. For the best flavour, I recommend using red onion instead of yellow or white onions.
Feta. This adds a nice hit of savory saltiness to balance out the fresh, light flavours. Goat cheese would also be amazing!
Parsley. Fresh, flat leaf parsley is the secret to adding freshness to any quinoa salads.
Quinoa. Any type of quinoa will work, but I use white quinoa for its milder flavour. If you're serving this for a crowd, I also think the white quinoa looks beautiful with the colourful veggies.
Pumpkin seeds. If possible, go for unsalted pumpkin seeds to reduce sodium. Pumpkin seeds add healthy fats, minerals, and an essential crunch. Sliced almonds, sunflower seeds or walnuts can also be used.
For the dressing:
Garlic. I recommend using fresh garlic for the best flavour, but preminced will work fine.
Greek yogurt. This is what makes the dressing creamy! 0% or 2% are both fine. Mayonnaise can be swapped if you do not have Greek yogurt.
Honey. For a touch of natural sweetness! It can be swapped with maple syrup if you prefer.
Dijon mustard. I go for a grainy, old-fashioned Dijon.
Lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. Acidity is essential to tie every salad together.
Olive oil. For the freshest olive oil, I always look for extra virgin olive oil in a dark glass bottle. This ensures the oil is not oxidized and has a longer storage life.
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
Prep. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Dice sweet potato, cucumber and red onion. Finely chop kale and parsley. De-seed the pomegranates.
Roast sweet potatoes. Add diced sweet potatoes, and half of the olive oil to a bowl and toss to coat. Once coated, there are two options: Air fry 400F for about 12 minutes, shaking half way. Alternatively, spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 400F for about 15 minutes.
To a large mixing bowl, add kale and the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Gently massage to soften the kale.
Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar, cover and shake to combine.
Top kale with quinoa, roasted sweet potato, cucumber, red, onion, parsley, pomegranate seeds, feta cheese and sunflower seeds.
Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: This salad is naturally gluten-free.
To make vegan: Skip the feta cheese or substitute with a dairy-free feta. For the dressing, use vegan mayonnaise or yogurt instead of Greek yogurt.
- you can also make a yogurt-less balsamic vinaigrette by simply leaving the yogurt out!
To make nut-free: This salad is naturally nut-free.
Make this salad your own by switching up the add-ins! Go for a fruity twist by adding diced apples or mandarins. You could also make a super green goddess salad by swapping the quinoa for an extra 2 cups of kale.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. The benefit of using kale and quinoa as a base less sogginess over time.
If you are making this salad in advance for a party, I recommend adding the feta and pomegranate seeds prior to serving as the colour of the pomegranate seeds tend to run with time.
Equipment
- Vegetable chopper (optional)
- Mixing bowl
Top Tip
To make the prep easier, I highly recommend using a vegetable chopper to quickly dice all the toppings. If your sweet potato is too hard to dice, gently pierce it with a fork a few times and microwave for about 2-4 minutes to soften the skin prior to dicing. The potato should be soft but not easily mashed.
Prepping the quinoa ahead of time also speeds up the process. If you don't prep it ahead of time, cool the cooked quinoa in the freezer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Do you find kale too bitter? My key to making this the BEST kale salad (even if you aren’t a huge kale fan) is to slice the kale VERY finely. Ensure you remove all stems and slice it into small pieces. This also increases the surface area for dressing, which cuts some of the btiter tones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Feel free to use frozen pomegranate seeds as long as they are thawed first. Keep in mind that frozen pomegranate seeds tend to not be quite as juicy, though they still taste great!
Of course, if you don't like a certain topping such as sweet potato etc. you can easily leave it off. I would say the most important toppings are the pomegranate seeds (for a little sweetness), the pumpkin seeds (for a crunch) and the feta (for a salty flavour).
Definitely. A storebought balsamic dressing will work too. I recommend looking for a thicker option, as opposed to a vinegrette.
It's got carbohydrates, healthy fats and tons of fibre, but lacking some protein. I would recommend adding thin sliced chicken breast, chickpeas or another protein of choice.
More Healthy Salad Recipes
My favourite salads! If you loved this winter kale salad, try these too:
- Homemade Kale Crunch Salad (Chick-fil-a)
- Honey Mustard Broccoli Crunch Salad
- Copycat Costco Quinoa Salad
- Kale Harvest Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this crunch kale winter salad with pomegranate, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Crunchy Kale Winter Salad with Pomegranate
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry quinoa cooked according to package instructions
- 1 medium sweet potato about 2 cups finely diced
- 1 medium english cucumber about 2 cups finely diced
- ½ of 1 medium red onion about 1 cup
- 3 cups curly kale leaves finely chopped
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 2 pomegranates
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbles
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
Creamy balsamic dressing:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon plain greek yogurt
- Juice of ½ of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Dice sweet potato, cucumber and red onion. Finely chop kale and parsley. De-seed the pomegranates.
- To roast your sweet potatoes: Add diced sweet potatoes, and half of the olive oil to a bowl and toss to coat. Once coated, you have two cooking options. To air fry, place in the basket of air fryer and bake at 400F for about 12 minutes, shaking half way. To bake in the oven, spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 400F for about 15 minutes.
- To a large mixing bowl, add kale and the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Gently massage to soften the kale.
- Top kale with quinoa, roasted sweet potato, cucumber, red, onion, parsley, pomegranate seeds, feta cheese and sunflower seeds.
- Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.
- To make the dressing: Add all ingredients to a mason jar, cover and shake to combine.
Jessica says
I made this for a church potluck and all the ladies asked for the recipe. It was amazing! I ate the leftovers the next day with a side of air fried salmon. OMG. Heavenly. Will be making again for sure!
Arlene says
This was a hit at both potlucks this holiday season!!