Get more veggies on the table and change up your usual salad with this roasted vegetable salad. Roast beets and cauliflower florets, chop fennel, add crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds and serve over kale. Add a little feta cheese if you like dairy (or avocado) and finish with a tangy vinaigrette. Definitely a big dose of veggies, plus it's packed with color, taste, texture and healthy nutrition.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- This roasted vegetable salad has multiple elements but they can all be done ahead of time then assembled for a meal.
- For a heartier main dish salad, add protein.
Roasted Vegetable Salad Ingredients
- Kale: Skip the bagged kale and buy fresh leafy bundles. The bagged version might be convenient but it still has the tough center rib. Invest a few minutes and chop your own. Buy Lacinato or Tuscan kale instead of curly kale, and buy organic if possible.
- Cauliflower: I buy a head of cauliflower and break it into florets myself to control the size, but you can buy a bag of florets to save time.
- Beets: Buy raw beets and roast yourself for the best result. It's super easy and mostly hands-off.
- Fennel: Raw fennel gives nice flavor and an edge to this salad, but if you're not a fan it's optional.
- Pepitas: Raw or toasted pumpkin seeds are the perfect fall garnish for this salad and made ahead in minutes.
- Cheese: Greek feta is a nice tangy add-on, but blue cheese or goat cheese are delicious too. Omit for dairy-free.
Vinaigrette Ingredients
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is my first choice; avocado oil works nicely too.
- Vinegar: Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Mustard: Just a touch of Dijon mustard helps emulsify the vinaigrette and adds a little tang.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt and pepper.
For another terrific entree style salad try my Chinese Chicken Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette.
Recipe Instructions
While there are a few components to this salad, they can all be done ahead of time if desired.
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Step 1: Roasting beets: Do this at first (or ahead). Read this post on how to roast beets. It’s easy. Cut off tops, wrap in heavy foil, drizzle with oil. Roast at 400°F until tender. Rub off skin and chop. Short cut: buy pre-cooked beets at the store. Look in the refrigerated produce case. They are not roasted, but steamed.
Step 2: Roasting cauliflower: Core the head and break off large florets. Cut florets crosswise into wedges about ½″ thick. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Roast at 400° for approximately 15-18 minutes, until golden with browned edges.
Step 3: Prep the kale leaves while the vegetables are roasting. To stem the kale, hold the bottom of the stem in one hand, clasp your other hand around the leaf at the bottom and run your clasped hand up the stem. The leafy part should separate easily. If not, cut out any stubborn ribs with a knife. Pile kale leaves together and chop crosswise into thin ribbons.
Step 4: Slicing fennel: Use a mandoline or inexpensive handheld slicer to shave or thinly slice fennel. Cut the tops off, cut out the triangular core, then starting at the bottom of the bulb, slice. Save the fluffy fronds for garnish.
Step 5: Toasting pumpkin seeds: Scatter ½ cup seeds on a rimmed baking sheet at bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes until you can smell them. Shake the pan half way through. Be careful they don’t burn. You can also toast them on the stove top in a pan over low heat. You can also use them raw to garnish the salad.
Serving Suggestions
When all of the elements are ready, toss together and serve with the vinaigrette. This salad is beautiful when served family style on a platter or in a large shallow salad bowl.
Recipe FAQs
Don't crowd vegetables when roasting, keep them in a single, flat layer. Don't add too much oil before roasting. And be sure your using a hot oven, around 400°F-425°F. Roast until the edges are browned, then taste test one to see if they are done enough for you. You want a little caramelization for the best flavor.
To add protein, use diced roasted or grilled chicken breast, or sliced steak. Adding cheese adds protein (if you enjoy dairy). Adding plant-based protein such as chick peas (garbanzo beans), lentils or cooked quinoa are other good options.
Adding nuts (raw or toasted for more flavor), seeds, homemade croutons, or dried fruit such as dried cranberries or golden berries are good additions. Just be sure they compliment the overall flavor of the salad.
⭐️Did you Make This Recipe?
If you make these roast beets, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating! They really help other readers.
📖 Recipe
Roasted Vegetable Salad with Kale
Ingredients
Kale Salad
- 2-3 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds pepitas
- 1 head cauliflower or use bagged florets as a shortcut
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 large bundle of Lacinato (Tuscan) kale
- 1 small fennel bulb
- 2 medium roasted beets store bought or homemade
- 4-6 ounces feta cheese optional
My Basic Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider or red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 pinches sea salt
- 2 pinches ground black pepper
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Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° (177 C). Scatter pumpkin seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for approximately 15 minutes, until you can smell them and they are lightly browned. Watch so they do not burn. While they are toasting, work on your vegetables.
- Turn oven up to 400° after the pumpkin seeds are done (or start a second oven at the same time). Cut the core from cauliflower head. Break off florets and cut them into ½″ thick wedges. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Drizzle olive oil over florets and sprinkle with garlic, salt, and pepper. Roast cauliflower until golden brown at the edges, about 18-20 minutes.
- For kale, strip out center stem with hands or trim out with a knife. Slice leaves crosswise into thin ribbons.
- Trim top stalks off of fennel. Save some of the fluffy fronds for garnish if desired. Thinly slice fennel bulb with a sharp knife, mandolin, or handheld slicer. Dice the roasted beets. Dice or crumble the feta.
- Whisk together the oil, vinegar and Dijon until emulsified. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Toss kale greens with a few teaspoons until lightly coated and place on plates or a platter. Add vegetables, pumpkin seeds, and cheese. Add extra vinaigrette over top.
Abby Foster (aunt Sally's favorite niece) says
Sally: I love kale!!! Luke won't eat it, but mom makes roasted kale chips and mixes them into fresh salsa. We don't eat chips, and kale chips are a great alternative, and they taste so much better. I can't wait to try this recipe. Love you!!!
Sally says
You should have your mom make this salad Abby. It has great flavors and textures! I love kale too. We eat quite a bit of it. Had a kale, lemon, pear, ginger, cucumber and ginger green juice this afternoon. Try the warm kale salad. Maybe Luke would like that better. I love you too sweetie! Fun that you have found the blog. I hope you are cooking!
Yead says
Great idea. This is so delicious. And also looking so good.
Hari Chandana says
Looks amazing!!
Tess @ Tips on Healthy Living says
As always, this recipe is beautifully photographed, and looks delicious! I can't wait to try it!
Sally says
Thanks Tess. If you do, please report back!
Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon says
I love kale, actually all the ingredients sound good. I want to try the roasted cauliflower. Since I clearly overindulged during the holidays.
Have a good week.
Sally says
Madonna, that cauliflower is so good it is like candy. I ate an entire small head of it myself on Monday! My dog liked it too. He is getting more vegetables these days. Crazy good, and good for you. Can't beat that! In fact I am going to do a full post in it next. Let me know what you think after you do some.