Roasted Kale Salad with Bacon, Sweet Potato and Goat Cheese

This hearty salad brings together roasted vegetables, crispy bacon and creamy goat cheese for a satisfying meal. High-heat roasting caramelizes sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts, while massaging the kale makes it tender and easy to eat. Toasted walnuts and panko add crunch and a tangy honey Dijon dressing ties everything together.

On the side, garlic butter ciabatta is perfect for soaking up every last bit of dressing. This salad is a wonderful way to enjoy fall flavors in a single bowl.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon Fry SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit CiabattaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce WalnutsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce KaleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce Brussels SproutsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Sweet PotatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Honey Dijon DressingView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Dried CranberriesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 unit AppleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce BaconView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Goat CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with racks in top and middle positions. Wash and dry produce. Peel and dice sweet potato into ½-inch pieces. Trim Brussels sprouts and halve or quarter lengthwise. Peel and mince garlic. Remove large stems from kale and chop into bite-size pieces. Halve and core apple; thinly slice half. Refrigerate goat cheese until serving.
2. Toss sweet potato and Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, Fry Seasoning, salt and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Add panko and walnuts. Cook, stirring, until panko is golden and nuts are toasted, 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Wipe pan clean.
4. In the same pan over medium-high heat, add garlic and 2 tablespoons butter. Cook, stirring, until butter melts and garlic is fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat. Halve and toast ciabatta. Spoon garlic butter over ciabatta, then slice diagonally into triangles.
5. Place kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Massage with hands until leaves are tender, 30-60 seconds. Add sliced apple, cranberries and three-quarters of the roasted veggies (reserve rest for serving). Toss with as much honey Dijon dressing as desired. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Divide salad among plates. Garnish with remaining roasted veggies, crumbled goat cheese and walnut-panko mixture. Serve with garlic ciabatta on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

You can roast the vegetables and prepare the garlic ciabatta in advance, but wait to massage the kale and assemble the salad until just before serving to keep everything crisp.

What can I substitute for goat cheese?

Feta cheese or blue cheese crumbles work well as substitutes for goat cheese in this salad.

Is there a way to make this salad vegan?

Yes, omit the bacon and goat cheese, use a vegan butter or oil for the ciabatta and choose a vegan-friendly dressing. You can also add roasted chickpeas for extra protein.