warm and spicy southwest quinoa kale salad with chipotle tahini ranch
Hearty, healthy, and pretty, with a showstopping dressing that I could happily dunk my whole shnoz in.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups Tuscan or regular kale, chopped
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 1/2 cup pepitas
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup crumbled feta or cotija cheese
- 1 large avocado, diced
chipotle tahini ranch
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2-3 tbsp chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- On the baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Spread into a single layer. Roast 15-20 minutes until tender and softened. Set aside.
- To make the ranch: in a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, tahini, chipotles, parsley, dill, garlic, onion, lime juice, buttermilk, and a pinch of salt and pepper. If needed, thin with an additional 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- Assemble thy salad! Grab your biggest mixing bowl. Toss together the quinoa, sweet potatoes, black beans, kale, pepitas, cilantro, feta, avocado, and 1/4 cup of the dressing until everything is well coated.
- Pour into a large serving bowl or platter. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
*Quinoa: If you don't have cooked quinoa on hand, follow the package directions to cook 1 cup of raw quinoa - this will make about 3 cups cooked. I usually toss my quinoa into the rice cooker and heat on the white rice setting.