Black Rice and Sweet Potato Salad
This black rice salad with sweet potato and kale is full of bold flavors and tossed with a light balsamic vinaigrette. Perfect for a side or main, and great for meal prep! Try swapping the kale for peppery arugula if you aren't a fan of kale.
Servings: 8 Servings
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potatoes:
- 1 pound sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Black pepper freshly ground
For the Black Rice:
- 1 cup uncooked black rice
- 1-¼ cups cold water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 ounces baby kale chopped
- 3 green onions chopped— white and green
For the White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Add the cubed sweet potatoes to a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. In a small dish, combine the salt, cinnamon, cumin and pepper together and sprinkle over the sweet potatoes. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. When the potatoes are fork-tender, transfer from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
- While the sweet potatoes are roasting: Rinse the rice under cold water and add to a medium size saucepan with the cold water and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add a tight fitting lid and cook for 30 minutes. The rice should be al dente and not soft. If there is still a little unabsorbed water, drain it off. Transfer the rice to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
For the White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shake until well combined.
Assembling the Salad:
- In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled black rice, sweet potatoes, chopped kale and the green onions. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss together.
Notes
- We used the Garnet sweet potatoes which are also called yams. The yellow sweet potatoes can be substituted.
- Roasting the sweet potatoes will bring out their natural sweetness; do not over-cook, they should be tender but not soft-mushy.
- The sweet potatoes and the rice can be cooked in advance and cooled in the refrigerator.
- For a quick cool-off, spread the rice and sweet potatoes on separate parchment lined baking sheets and stick into the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Ideas for add-ins: Grilled chicken breast, sautéed shrimp, feta cheese, blue cheese chunks, crisp bacon pieces, dried raisins or cranberries
Nutrition
Serving: 1-1/4 Cup | Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3.6g | Fat: 9.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Sodium: 327mg | Fiber: 3.8g | Sugar: 2.7g
