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Close-up of a Thanksgiving salad with roasted sweet potatoes, kale, feta, pecans, and pomegranate seeds.

Thanksgiving Salad Recipes for Busy Weeknights (Meal-Prep Friendly)

This Thanksgiving salad is a healthy and delicious meal that you can prepare ahead of time. It features roasted sweet potatoes, maple-spiced nuts, pomegranate arils, and a cider-cinnamon vinaigrette.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rice Cooking 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 people
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 6 cups kale, destemmed and finely sliced or shredded
  • 1/3 cup dry wild rice or grain of choice, cooked
  • maple spiced roasted sweet potatoes
  • maple spiced nuts
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
  • 2 ounces goat cheese or feta, crumbled
  • cider cinnamon vinaigrette
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper to season
For the Maple Spiced Roasted Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper to season
For the Maple Spiced Nuts
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper to season
For the Cider Cinnamon Vinaigrette
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped or grated
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper to season

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Small bowl
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • Wooden spoon
  • Large Bowl
  • Serving Bowl
  • Jar

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up. Cook wild rice or grain of choice according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  2. Place the diced sweet potatoes on one of the prepared baking sheets. Season with olive oil, pure maple syrup, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne (if using), 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Toss to coat well. Arrange the seasoned sweet potatoes on the baking sheet such that they’re not crowded together and have plenty of room to roast. Roast 25-30 minutes, stirring/flipping the sweet potatoes halfway through. Remove from the oven and set aside or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  3. Place the chopped nuts on the second prepared baking sheet and transfer to the oven to toast for 4 minutes. While the nuts toast, prep the maple spiced coating. Add the pure maple syrup, olive oil, chili powder, ground cinnamon, and cayenne (if using) to a small bowl. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Whisk to combine well. Once the nuts are toasted, pull them from the oven and carefully pour the prepared maple spiced coating over the nuts, using a spatula or wooden spoon to stir and coat the nuts well. Return to the oven for another 4 minutes, stirring/flipping the nuts halfway through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
  4. Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, water, fresh herbs, cinnamon, and garlic to a small bowl or jar. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Whisk or shake to combine well. Set aside or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  5. Place the shredded kale in a large bowl. Drizzle a couple spoonfuls of the prepared cider-cinnamon vinaigrette over top. Use your hands to massage the kale, working the vinaigrette into the kale until the kale softens and becomes vibrantly green. Transfer the massaged kale to a serving bowl or platter. Top with the cooked wild rice or grains, maple spiced sweet potatoes, maple spiced nuts, pomegranate arils and crumbled cheese. Serve immediately, drizzled with extra cider-cinnamon vinaigrette as desired.

Notes

This Thanksgiving Salad recipe serves 6 generously as a side dish. If serving as a main dish, it yields 3-4 servings. Many components can be prepared up to 5-7 days in advance for easy assembly.

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